Under the Guise of Fate
by SeaFeudJagger
Summary: Hiccup is in the process of a recovery. Elsa is in need of a much required break. How will an unlikely encounter affect the two rulers' paths? Especially with both of them seemingly not being truthful with the other. Set a few years after the events of Frozen and HtTYD 2.
1. Chapter 1

_So...this idea popped up into my head after reading stories from both fandoms. I'm planning this entire story to be a prologue for another one I'm going to write. This story may have similarities to others you've read from both series because my story is inspired from some of them. Sorry if my grammar and dialogue aren't that great, this is pretty much my first time writing a story and I'm pretty sure the writing is bad. Kind of ironic, really, considering I have been an avid book reader since I was a kid._

 _I hope you enjoy this story_ — _or at least the concept of it_ — _and please give reviews with honest criticisms. Hopefully my writing will improve if this story gets going. Thank you and enjoy reading!_

* * *

Hiccup woke up to the sound of heavy thumping and a muffled roar.

He blearily opened his eyes and groaned, placing a hand on his forehead. Yesterday had been a tiring day, having to fix a dispute in the proceedings of a marriage contract and entertaining various suggestions of land expansion and alliances with other tribes. With the former giving Hiccup more grief than the latter, considering that Vikings in their nature are a stubborn lot. So what do you get when two Viking families are at a standoff as to the amount of _mundr_ being given and the exact date of the planned marriage with neither kinsfolk budging?

A throbbing headache with a dose of near decapitation.

Hiccup yawned and sat up as he surveyed the room. He immediately notices the empty stone slab that a certain black-scaled, mischievous Night Fury usually sleeps in. _That explains where the noise is coming from_ , Hiccup thought exasperatedly, though the smile on his face betrayed his initial annoyance. This time the roof shook once more, and Hiccup could almost imagine Toothless' impatient expression as he waits for his rider to wake up.

With that image in mind, Hiccup chuckled and removed his fur blankets, proceeding to suit up for an early morning flight.

As Hiccup was about to leave through the door, he gave one last glance to the room and couldn't help but notice the left-side of his empty bed that not a year ago occupied a fiery, blonde Valkyrie who would grumble and snore softly as she slept in contentment.

Immediately his expression changed from one of amusement to sadness and melancholy.

Hiccup looked upon the scene with regret and wistful eyes, as if remembering a particular memory of that situation; one from a happier time. He sighed, closing the door and began making his way towards the stairs.

It has only been nine months since she left, since _her passing_ , yet Hiccup could still remember that day…

 _The sky was dark and stormy, as if the gods themselves knew the outcome of that day and could do nothing but offer the downpour of rain as grievance. A rugged battleaxe was left on the ground, its blade dripping with blood. Hiccup ran as fast as his prosthetic could provide him, frantically searching the field, shouting her name amidst the sound of clashing metal and the tumultuous roar of thunder. Then he saw it from the corner of his eye—a narrow shaft zipping through the air, its bladed tip heading straight for him. He hadn't a moment to lose before it pierces his heart until—_

 _No_ , no. He shook his head violently, refusing to be reminded of that _particular_ moment. His nightmares had greedily forced him to relive that scene over and over again these past months, resulting in nights of insomnia and sleep deprivation. He promised himself then that he would honor her memory. Live the life that was meant to be with her and to enjoy it while it lasted. _Easier said than done_ , he recalled sadly.

Hiccup stopped by a door located right next to the stairway leading towards the main room of the house. He hesitated for a moment then quietly opened the door, peeking into the room. Hiccup waited for an acknowledgement, any response to his entry and when received none, he entered and tiptoed to the sleeping figure dozing in the corner of the room.

As he stood before the bed, he gave a small smile as he smoothed the hair of his sleeping, mumbling four-year old daughter. Most of the villagers argued that she looks exactly like her mother, and Hiccup agreed. With her long flowing blonde hair and round face, she looks like an exact replica of her when she was child, although his mother had said that she inherited his ears, which he doubted. The most notable feature that she got from Hiccup was his forest green eyes.

"Nora," he gently whispered.

She looks so much like Astrid that sometimes it pains him to see her, especially the months leading up to this. It was hard, especially after her passing. Nora was the only thing he had left of her yet it pains him to see her at times because she reminded him of what he had lost.

Suddenly he felt extremely guilty. He wasn't the only affected by this. His daughter just lost her mother for Odin's sake, _his wife_. He should have spent more time with her during those first few months that followed, comforting her, grieving with her rather than drowning himself in chiefly duties and dragon riding. He feels like a horrible father.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you, I—" he breathed in and out. "I promise daddy will make it up to you. Hopefully you won't be _too_ angry with me, your punches hurt like your mother's." He grinned, leaning down to give a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you."

As he left the room, he gave one last glance at his daughter and swore that her lips curled up as she twisted her body to find a more comfortable position. Hiccup smiled.

 **000**

"Hey there bud, how's it going? Hope I didn't keep you long." Hiccup teased as Toothless jumped off the roof and bounded towards him.

The Night Fury merely rolled his eyes and grumbled, as if complaining why his rider took so long in preparing. He eagerly nudged Hiccup with his nose.

"Yeah yeah, you impatient reptile, just hold on," he adjusted the straps on the saddle and checked the tail rig for any malfunctions. Once satisfied, he hopped onto Toothless and readied himself.

"Alright, let's see what you got, bud!"

With a roar, Toothless shot through air the like an arrow released from a bow. The Chief's laughter echoed throughout the entire village.

 **000**

Even after returning to Berk nearly 5 years ago, Valka still couldn't believe how much this small Viking village had grown.

She was walking across the marketplace with Cloudjumper, greeting a few villagers as she made way for the Great Hall. Observing how dragons now helped Vikings in their day-to-day needs and the amount of people now walking the streets of Berk.

After the defeat of Drago's army, the Berkians entered a brief season of hardship seeing as most of village was destroyed and is in need of supplies to help them rebuild and recover for the upcoming months of winter.

It was through this reason as to why Chief Hiccup's first order of business as chief, other than rebuilding his home, was to finally open its trade routes to other villages. Before, Berk mostly relied on its island resources for food, shelter and clothing. Their closest means of contact to the outside world is through Trader Johann, a sea trader who occasionally visits to barter goods with the villagers.

This decision proved to be most beneficial on Berk's part, as their open invitation was soon answered by two Viking tribes: the Bog-Burglars and the Meatheads. They had heard rumors of Drago Bludfist's defeat by the hands of Stoick the Vast's son, and were unable to believe the enormity of such a tale. But the moment they entered in Berk waters and saw the multitude of dragons that surround the island and the dragon riders that accompanied them as they passed through the docks, they gathered an inkling on who they are dealing with.

Viking chief Mogadon the Meathead and Big-Boobied Bertha of the Bogs paid their respects to the new chief, claiming to personally know Stoick during their time in Chief Gatherings, and offered an alliance with open trade amongst their villages. They had some misgivings on dealing with Hiccup, believing that he is still young and inexperienced to be chief. To which the Dragon Trainer dryly replied, "Well, most people would say that the first dragon that I killed was a bit colossal, and that my first battle scar was quite the limb jerker, but I pushed through. I never was one to follow the rules of nature, hence why I got a dragon to befriend me in the first place, right bud?" To which the Alpha warbled in agreement. The Vikings tribes ended up signing a treaty and forged an alliance that solidified the start of a new era for Berk.

With this treaty came _dragons_ , as both the Bog-Burglars and the Meatheads agreed to entertain and allow dragons to live with them in their villages. Berk's port became quite the melting pot for many merchants, traders, and visitors who came to sneak a peak in the Isle of Berk.

There had been other Viking tribes that later realized the benefits of having Berk as an ally and came to offer their alliance, spilling out reasons as to why they haven't answer their call before. Chief Hiccup accepted some and declined others, advised by his wife that not all of them have good intentions in allying with Berk.

Berk had achieved quite the flux throughout the following years, its buildings having been rebuilt and updated through blueprints bartered from lands beyond the Long Sea; new dangers and dragons to be fought yet the island prevailed. Berk had become the undisputed center of Viking civilization throughout the Barbaric Archipelago.

Once, a lifetime ago she wouldn't have believed it were possible to achieve peace between Vikings and dragons. But the world proved to her that even the most stubborn minds are able to see through change; though its achievement did not go through without casualties.

As if being drawn to them, Valka's eyes now latched onto the monument of her late husband, Stoick the Vast, which was located above the Great Hall. Her eyes glazed in brief sadness then wistful amusement at the thought of Stoick watching over her and their son, boasting their achievements throughout the halls of Valhalla.

With that cheerful image mind, Valka's thoughts now scattered towards her son, Hiccup, and she let out a sigh. She knows how hard it must've been for him, to lose Astrid like that so quickly. It felt the same way when she was first separated from Stoick, and was reignited in the aftermath of their more recent reunion.

Valka was worried for him, even after nine months, he still hasn't accepted her death. Oh, he may have said to her and Gobber months prior that he was fine, but she can see past his reassuring demeanor. He may fool his friends be he cannot fool her instincts as a mother. She can see through those quips and strained smiles that he makes. Hel, Valka can practically see it in his eyes. It was like staring at a mirror. Twenty-five years ago she had that same gaunt look when she first realized that she can never see Stoick again. Pain, silent pain.

She started a bit when she felt a row of scales on her palms. Cloudjumper tilted his head at her, crooning worriedly. Valka realized that she had stopped walking and had been standing rigid in the same spot for nearly five minutes. Shaking off her stupor, she curtly ascended to the steps of the Great Hall, focusing her mind as to why she went here in the first place.

As she entered through the large oaken doors of the hall, all conversations briefly quieted. Not that there was much in the first place, considering that it was too early for people to drink in the mead hall. Realizing that it was only a familiar face that entered, the Vikings muttered greetings and went back to their eager discussions.

"Well, fancy seeing you around here this early. You lookin' for someone?" a familiar voice said. Both Valka and the Stormcutter turned to look at source.

"Oh, hello Gobber, I was just about to look for you. Are you busy?" she asked.

"Ah well, you know me, just up for a morning stroll! These bones aren't getting any younger, and my back is creaking like Hel, but otherwise I'm fine," Gobber says with a cheeky grin. "I was about to get me some grub, but never mind that. I've got plenty of time! So, what's the occasion? Need some company?"

"I was hoping if you could gather Snotlout and the others and lead them to the back room? Bring Eret as well, I need to discuss something with all of you, but it must be private." Valka said.

Gobber raised a brow at this. "Sounds serious, I'll bring them up here in no time. But Val, mind telling me what this is about?"

She mused for a moment if she should share her fears, but declined. "It's best if I'll explain all of it once the others are here so I won't have to repeat myself."

The blacksmith looked at her questioningly, but nodded. Without another word he was out of the mead hall to get the other teens.

She told Cloudjumper to stay outside since he won't be able to fit in the inner rooms of the hall. The dragon wasn't happy about it but complied.

Not more than fifteen minutes later, Gobber entered the room with a sniggering Ruffnut and Tuffnut, a bleary-eyed looking Snotlout, and both Fishlegs and Eret with a curious expression on their faces.

As Gobber closed and locked the door, Valka was the first to speak. "I know you're wondering why I had Gobber call all of you here. Well to put it plainly, this problem concerns more than just the village, it's personal as well."

"Oh, oh, is it about that incident in the pier yesterday? Because I swear, I did not know that barrel was filled with lobsters and it was totally an acci—"

"Of course it wasn't, idiot! And I call bull, you totally knew what was in that barrel. I saw you asking Bucket what was in those before you pranked those sailors." Ruffnut rolled her eyes.

"Nuh-uh! Wasn't me! And besides, I saw _you_ dealing with the Bog Burglars, something about a _golden_ necklace?" Tuffnut puffed his chest out triumphantly.

"W-What?! I was sure nobody saw that—" Ruffnut sputtered.

"Is it about Dagur?" Fishlegs asked, trying to ignore the twins' antics. "Because it's been a long time since we heard from him and I was told a rumor that he's starting a new tribe."

"Can't be Dagur, the last time we saw him was when we sunk his Beserker fleet together with his sister," Snotlout said confidently. "There's _no_ way he could have escaped that, and besides, Nóttilla is a more... _agreeable_ leader than her brother ever was."

"Not to mention sane," Gobber quipped. "Aye, she's a fine lass, just remind me to never _ever_ get in between her and a book. I swear she's got a glare that could turn a jötunn into a steaming puddle. I remember that one time—"

"No, no, it's not about those. As I said, it's a more personal matter and some of you might already suspect what I'm talking about." said Valka, looking intently at Eret. He looked confused for second, until his brown eyes widened in recognition.

Finally, Valka decided to get to the point and sighed. "It's about Hiccup."

Immediately, the atmosphere in the room dimmed and turned into concern.

"What? Did something happen to the chief?"

"Can't be, I just saw him yesterday. I think it was before my lobster prank…" Tuffnut mused.

"Is it about what happened months ago?"

Everyone started talking all at once, so Valka had to calm their fears by saying that no, Hiccup is not injured, nor dead, nor has he lost his left sock or something.

"No, I'm not talking about a physical injury," Valka explained. "It's about what happened in the Shield Islands, when… when we lost Astrid."

The mood in the room declined even further at the mention of the fiery shield maiden.

"I know how hard it is to lose a loved one. And most of you as well as I, still mourn for her." Valka's relationship with Astrid was initially awkward, seeing as she just returned home after nearly twenty years of isolating herself and that Astrid was a more used to spending time with Stoick. Having first meeting each other to comfort Hiccup after his father's untimely death.

However, as time went by, she came to bond with her daughter-in-law. When she became engaged with Hiccup, she spent a lot of time in the Haddock household with its current residence. Valka approved of Astrid, often amused at her interactions with Hiccup. Politically, she became a good advisor to Hiccup as well, not trusting the words of other men but their actions.

It was devastating for her to see Astrid leave that way. It was as if history was repeating itself all over again, like some cruel joke schemed by the trickster god, Loki. Only this time, it wasn't a dragon that did the deed.

"Hiccup may look alright, but he's not. Behind those closed doors, he's subjugating himself to a lot of pain by not talking to any of us. The closest he's had to having a full conversation with is Toothless, and while I don't reject that notion, he needs someone who can speak to him, lighten his burdens." Valka finished.

A long standing silence encompassed the room, which Gobber broke by pulling himself a chair and sitting down, resting his elbow on the table while bringing his fingers to his furrowed brows, creasing it with a tiring sigh.

"Valka's right," Gobber muttered. "I should have seen the signs. This was the same way on how Stoick mourned your death, Val."

He turned to Valka, who was silent. "He locked himself up and buried into his chief work and the dragons." It was during those times when Hiccup was growing up that Stoick began to unintentionally neglect him. "There were times when Hiccup came to me with questions that were meant to be with his father. I've always tried to get them on equal terms. And even when they've finally started to have that family relationship they've always wanted, it took years of getting to know each other to accomplish it."

Valka had heard of it herself, some coming from Gobber and most of it from Hiccup. He had always said that Stoick was a great and dedicated chief, but a terrible father to him in his childhood years. Always awkward in their father-son conversations, having different ideas on how things should work, and his stature being scrawny compared to his bulky, vast father. Their relationship was strained, to say the least. Only through the defeat of the Red Death and five years of reconciliation did their relationship flourish to ideal family they wanted it to be.

She had forgiven her husband for what he did to Hiccup. Stoick did not know the far reaching consequences of his actions. This time, however, she is determined to not let history repeat itself to her granddaughter.

"What about Nora?" It was Snotlout who phrased this question. "Is she alright?" He asked worriedly, finally beginning to see bigger picture of this whole ordeal. He loves his little niece, at times she reminded him of Astrid's flair and penchant for punching people to show her feelings. But he can also see some of Hiccup's attitude as well, especially on how curious she was of everything and how kindhearted she is.

"For the time being, yes, thank the gods. Knowing Hiccup, he probably would have noticed by now and is trying to make amends. At least she had the luxury of knowing and meeting her mother when she had the chance." Valka still felt guilty that she was not able to have a part in Hiccup's childhood, no matter how many times he had said that he forgives her. Maybe she could have prevented Stoick from ignoring their son and actually live as family.

"So now all of you can see how this affects the village. It might not be now or twenty years after today, but how Hiccup copes with this and how his daughter grows up will decide the legacy of Berk. And I do not want my granddaughter to experience the same problems we had to achieve peace." Valka finished.

Another brief silence accompanied the room.

"So… how can we help with Hiccup's problem?" Ruffnut asked. Astrid was her closest friend and even though she wasn't able to prevent her demise, she was damned sure to not let Nora suffer the same fate as she did. The others murmured in agreement.

"We could give him rest as chief so that he would have more time to spend with Nora," Fishlegs suggested, rubbing his chin. "But knowing Hiccup, he'll refuse it without good reason."

"How about we trap him and Nora in a deserted island with only both of them in it? It'll be a family bonding time!" Tuffnut suggested proudly, while the others gave him weird looks.

"It might also help if Hiccup can find someone… new to spend time with," Valka meant to suggest that quietly but Gobber had heard and gave her an astonished look.

"What? Val, you know that's impossible! Hiccup is a pretty loyal lad and he would probably think that he'll be betraying Astrid's memory if he finds someone new to replace her!" Gobber is going to be honest, that is one option he didn't think through. Mildly due to the fact that his best friend never remarried after Valka was presumed dead.

Many of the others voiced their doubts as well. "I agree, I've seen the way they looked at each other when I first met them," Eret spoke for the first time since entering the room. "Even back then they were so caring with one another. That is something that he isn't going to let go easily."

"I'm not saying that he should remarry, I just want to see him speak to someone again with that same spark and energy that he once had for Astrid." While Valka was touched that Stoick never remarried after all these years he had believed that she was gone, she knew that it would have helped a lot if he had someone else that he can share his problems with. Marriage isn't even the main point, as long as he found a friend to open his heart to again, she wouldn't have minded.

"So how do we deal with this? We know that Hiccup won't agree to let go of his duties as chief without a valid reason, and even if he did, where would he go? He pretty much traveled across the whole archipelago, and that means he'll just distance himself more from us," Snotlout voiced his concerns. Over the years he had grown close with his cousin, becoming his second-in-command next to Astrid. It was due to Hiccup that Snotlout met his wife and later bore him a son. He was forever grateful to him for that. Now with a chance to repay all the kindness Hiccup gave to him, he is set on going through with it.

Valka, Gobber and the others tried to think of way, but Snotlout was right. How can Hiccup recover while at the same time spend quality moment with his daughter? He had already traversed through the whole of Berk, as well as the entire archipelago. They couldn't think of a way to help the recovery phase.

It was the former dragon trapper who finally spoke up. "I may have an idea," Eret began, a slow smile adorning his face.

 **000**

The Queen of Arendelle rubbed her furrowed brows as she reread the letter in her hand with a frown.

It came from a foreign ambassador who came to Arendelle to discuss trade negotiations and potential alliances with their kingdom. The letter was shortly given to Elsa by a servant after a meeting with her council.

She was just about to dine lunch at her office before proceeding to court that afternoon when a knock came by the door, revealing to be a servant who received a message that was to be delivered directly to the queen. The letter contained a more intricate reading on how trade was going to work between the two kingdoms, written by their king himself. It also suggested, in a none-too-subtle manner, that a marriage pact between Elsa and their prince would seal an alliance more soundly.

Elsa sighed, dropping the letter in a drawer from her desk as she continued to eat lunch; though not feeling too hungry anymore. Her thoughts mused silently upon the matter.

After the Great Thaw, as most of Arendelle's inhabitants called it, the small kingdom began to flourish under Queen Elsa's rule. With its gates finally reopened, traders, merchants, seafarers and visitors of the like came to Arendelle to busy themselves and seek out the nation's delights. Nearby kingdoms and fiefdoms such as Weselton are still wary of country, mostly due to its ruler and her mythical powers. Some were adamant in believing the queen to be an ice sorceress, ruling her people in fear while others were cautiously optimistic that kingdom was quite peaceful and harmless to their own. Regardless, most were still uncertain on how to deal with Arendelle.

Elsa was afraid that she might have frightened other nations from ever visiting Arendelle, but Anna reassured her that they were just slow to trust and was confident that pretty soon their home is going to be bustling with people.

Her sister proved to be right, however, as Arendelle was as busy as ever in the course of three years since Elsa's coronation. The docks doubled in its usual containment of ships seeking refuge and merriment. Trade and business has been going well with neighboring kingdoms as well as sea captains who were willing to sell their stock in exchange for a new sail or assistance in reconstructing the hulls in their ships caused by passing storms.

Elsa was happy in seeing her kingdom prosper, bringing it back to its former glory before her parents closed its gates to the world. But, like a girl wanting to buy an expensive silk dress from some traveling merchant, everything has its price. Most of the other kingdoms finally came to realize that close relations with the fjord kingdom might prove fruitful. With that thought mind, Elsa was later bombarded with marriage proposals, usually hidden in alliance propositions.

It wasn't like the queen didn't enjoy the attention she received. In fact, Elsa is quite surprised that men found her desirable. She always considered that her powers made her seem unnatural and feel like a... freak.

Anna had repeatedly told her that she wasn't lacking in the beauty department, even privately admitting that she was a bit jealous of her calm and regal beauty. Exclaiming that anyone who thinks otherwise needs a thorough eye rinsing.

Elsa smiled at the thought of her fun-loving sister, while taking a sip from a cup of hot chocolate. Anna had experienced so much since their childhood years, far more than what Elsa had put her through. She was glad that she and her sister were closer than ever, and that Anna still retains that sunny personality she had ever since they were kids. It was gratefully helpful during those times when Elsa still felt doubtful of herself and the decisions she makes.

She can still remember the old mantra that her father placed on her. _Conceal don't feel._ _Conceal don't feel._

Anna was an essential help in that category, strengthening Elsa's self-esteem with her blunt yet honest opinions. Currently, the princess was in the gardens with a certain blond ice master and his reindeer.

The blooming romance between her sister and Kristoff sparked a grin on Elsa's face. She felt that Anna deserved finding true love after all that she's been through. Kristoff is often silent and polite to people he meets, yet Elsa has always seen his fun side showcased whenever he was with Anna. Elsa approved of their interaction, hoping that their true love is _actually_ true this time, considering her previous handling in romance.

Monarchs in their time would normally marry off their siblings to different lords and ladies, setting about the foundations of an alliance or treaty. They wouldn't approve of a princess coupling with a commoner. But thanks to Elsa's status as queen, she does not mind her sister's relationship with the ice man and let them be, despite her council's protests that Anna marrying a prince from a foreign kingdom would prove more beneficial.

 _Hopefully Kristoff has plans to propose some time soon,_ Elsa thought with a smirk. Even though they have been together for almost three years, the former ice harvester has yet spoken of marriage, with Anna confiding to her that she was a bit nervous at the prospect of it. Little did her sister know, Kristoff had already asked the queen for her blessing, albeit privately of course, and she gave it to him. It was quite a sight, seeing the normally stoic and calm man sweating profusely as he meekly asked Elsa's permission for her sister's hand in marriage.

It was during these circumstances that Elsa feels a bit envious of Anna. She doesn't have to rule Arendelle and deal with the country's foreign affairs. She gets to experience love and not experience the various wedding proposals from suitors all over the land. She gets to have a simple life. Well, as simple as life could ever be for a princess.

That doesn't mean to say that Elsa didn't _enjoy_ the attention she got from her suitors. She feels quite flattered that other men found her enticing and want to marry her, even though knowing their reasons why.

She knew that it was her duty as queen to marry a royal suitor so that her kingdom can prosper from the intertwined union. Though there was a part of her that indignantly believes that she can rule without the help of some man, at least for the time being.

Elsa doubts that she can love any of the suitors if she actually chooses to marry. That's not to say that most of them are all power-hungry and greedy, there might be good men that exists among them but she cannot relate with them.

She knows that it would be too easy to just flat out refuse all of those marriage proposals and instead find love in her own terms, but she also knew that it could affect future relationships with other kingdoms and can even use that reason to take offense and insinuate a war.

It has happened before, believe it or not.

Being a queen has its pleasures and restraints, but she wanted to at least experience the love that Anna had the most.

Despite her earlier statements about being an independent woman, Elsa wants to at least share her burden with another who understands. Someone who knows what it feels to have the lives hundreds of people in her hands. To know that every choice she makes will affect not only herself, but her kingdom as a whole. For a person to actually like her for herself, not because of her power and status.

Elsa sighed again as she finished her meal, wiping her mouth with a napkin. Placing the now empty tray on her table, she stood up to leave, clearing her mind of all these underlying thoughts. Preparing herself for the upcoming hours of hearing her peoples requests and foreign admittance in the throne room. She knew that she'll have to figure out her suitor problem sooner or later, but for now it can wait.

With one last glance at her desk filled with endless amounts of letters and documents, Elsa leaves the office and heads for court.


	2. Chapter 2

_Sorry if I posted this chapter a little later than the first one was, this week was a bit overwhelming for me. Replaying the mass effect series, buying and reading The World of Ice and Fire after months of waiting, getting a cold and sore throat, and finally removing both of my upper Wisdom teeth, yeah I sort of got sidetracked._

 _If the writing and story is not up to par, then I apologize. Don't worry about me not continuing this story, it just takes a while for me to write since this whole thing is new to me._

 _Again, reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated. Thank you and enjoy reading!_

* * *

It was half-past ten in the evening by the time Elsa found herself heading towards her bedroom, feeling drained.

Court was more or less uneventful that day. Other than hearing petitions and requests from both the common people and noblemen living in the city, there were the usual dignitaries, ambassadors and royal visitors that came to announce their presence to the queen. There was also a case settling between a farmer and a local lord on land ownership of a portion near the outer borders of Arendelle, but other than that nothing drastic happened.

After that procession, Elsa confined herself to her personal study for the remaining hours of the day, hoping to finally deal with the proposal letters as well as the business documents from various kingdoms.

If she were to be honest to herself, Elsa found that dealing with trade, foreign business, and estate matters are a lot less tiresome than responding to marriage proposal. Some would find humor in the fact that dealing with the logistics of her kingdom is a lot easier than replying to letter regarding politics.

In the end, she finished with politely declining the proposals of much smaller kingdoms while still keeping the letters from influential and powerful ones on hold. _It was for the best_ , she thought wearily. She reduced her already abundant bag of suitors while at the same time appeasing her council in regards to her options.

Depriving herself of such thoughts by shaking her head, Elsa entered her bedroom.

The room remained the same even after she ascended as queen; slightly smaller than the one she shared with Anna when they were kids, the room occupies a double bed next to a simple fireplace with logs stacked beside it. Purple and white seem to dominate much of the room's features including its walls and carpets. Several chairs and a table are placed in various corners of the room, as well as a dresser and wardrobe. There was a door leading up to the bathroom and another that opens to the view of the balcony. Moonlight slid through a large triangular window, providing faint shimmers of light that illuminated the darkness.

Elsa entertained the thought of just simply dropping onto her bed face first, hoping to find a swift end to this strenuous day, but then rejected the notion. It would only serve to put more strain on her neck, as well as give unnecessary back pain. The bed head that she will be receiving the following morning is just the tip of the iceberg to start off a new day.

She proceeded to strip her dress and grabbed a long-sleeved nightgown from her wardrobe. After slipping into more suitable clothing, she unceremoniously dropped onto her bed, sighing in blissful content as her body embraced the softness of the mattress. Lying down on her bed, Elsa absently recalled on not seeing Anna much today. She remembered inquiring Gerda about it after court, with the head servant reassuring her that she last saw the princess heading for the village with Kristoff and Olaf.

With the last vestiges of her mind falling to drowsiness, Elsa covered herself with blankets as she closed her eyes and welcomed the realm of sleep.

 **000**

The morning rays of the sun has not yet risen past the fields of the plains when Elsa was roused from her peaceful repose.

Though not _necessarily_ by choice, that is.

The door leading to her room gave a slight creak as it was carefully being opened. A pair of turquoise blue eyes revealed itself in the darkness, surveying the room with a practiced eye. Seeing the sleeping figure of the queen sprawled along the bed, the intruder closed the door silently and tiptoed towards its target.

Normally, Elsa was a light sleeper. Years of fear of her powers made her alert for any sign that might occur that she was being intruded. Added to the fact there was one incident sometime after the Great Thaw where an assassination attempt was made on her life when the queen was enjoying a night of reading in her chambers. But due to yesterday's toll of complications, her usual discipline was rather quenched, letting the feel of warmth from the bed and her body's need for rest consume her.

As the person crouched before the bed, it took in the appearance of the queen. Wisps of hair raised in every direction, soft yet still audible snoring, a slight drool coming from the side of her mouth; it was not the picture of grace and perfection that one would visualize in a royal monarch. The figure covered a hand to its mouth to stifle a giggle.

Mornings were _definitely_ not in favor of the Arendelle sisters.

"Psst, Elsa." Anna whispered.

Elsa didn't reply.

"Hey Elsa, Elsa. _Elsaaa_ ," prolonging her name while beginning to poke at her side.

She gave a slight grumble, muffled by the pillow. "Anna, go back to sleep."

Not easily deterred, the princess continued. "But _I'm bored._ I can't sleep and the sky is finally awake! Come on, we have time to play before the servants wake up. Please Elsa?

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

Elsa remained quiet for a moment, and Anna was sure that she fell back to sleep when she replied in a sleepy but flat voice, "No."

After several more attempts of pestering without success, Anna pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. She contemplated on just returning later at a better time but then she gets an idea. Giving a rather exaggerated sigh, Anna lies down on the bed with her hands behind her head. "Such a shame, I didn't see much of my sister yesterday. She's always doing her best, trying to serve the kingdom and being a great big sister."

Elsa opened one bleary eye, glancing at her sister in a mixture of curiosity and mild amusement.

With both eyes closed, Anna didn't notice Elsa's look and proceeded on with her rambling. "I want to spend _some_ quality time with my big sister before she goes all work mode and puts on her Elsa the Queen face."

Said queen knotted her eyebrows together. _'Elsa the Queen' face?_ she wondered bemusedly.

Anna nodded as if hearing Elsa's inner thoughts. "Oh yes, you should see it. Her face becomes very serious and when she talks," she gives a mock-shudder, "it's like she can command the entire room to do whatever she wants. But I prefer just her Elsa face, because it reminds me of my sweet, loving, big sister."

Elsa can't help but smile at Anna adoringly at that, her eyes welling up a bit. Some would complain that she was being too sentimental at the compliment that was given to her, but coming from her sister it mattered much to Elsa. Especially since she initially believed that Anna would hate her when they met again after years of isolation from each other. But no, Anna defended the queen when others began to accuse her of witchcraft; she risked her own safety to personally find her sister; and gave her own life when Elsa was about to get killed by Prince Hans.

Lost in her thoughts, Elsa almost didn't notice Anna leaving her bed. "Well, I guess I should just go back to my room seeing as my sister is still _too_ tired from her duties yesterday." she said, deliberately slowing her steps to the door. "Maybe I could play on my own. It _is_ still too early, nobody in the castle is awake yet, almost the perfect time to spend quality moments with no disturbance from others." she finished casually.

Before she could fully open the door, Anna felt a small gust of wind behind her. As she turned to look, a figure brushed past her and exited through the door. Anna gave a slight yelp as her legs stumbled a bit, clutching on the door handle for hold. Looking below her, she saw a line of ice covering the floor she's standing on leading towards outside the door.

Elsa was standing outside; hair slightly tousled, arms crossed over her chest, raising a brow towards her sister. "Well?" she asked simply.

But Anna just stared at her with a surprised expression on her face. Elsa continued, "Last one to the gardens is going to have to explain to Kai and Gerda about the noise later in breakfast." Her face completely serious yet her eyes were glinting with mischief.

Without another word, she swept a hand towards the hallway to her right, creating a sheet of ice on the floor before running. Still raising her hand, she began to slide along the ice, keeping the flow of frost consistent as to be able to navigate herself for the incoming corridors and stairs.

As Elsa took a turn at the end of the hallway, Anna finally shook her dazed expression. "Elsa! That's _so_ not fair!" she yelled as she took off after her sister. Trying to catch up to her. "Cheater!" she complained.

But both sisters' laughter subdued any ill thoughts that an observer might presume regarding the situation. Their resounding giggles echoed throughout the castle walls.

 **000**

"I _definitely_ won in that last battle."

"Alright Anna, I'll give you that. You surprised me with using Olaf as a distraction—"

"Yes!" said princess pumped her fist in the air.

"—but you're still going to be explaining to Gerda about the commotion in the castle _and_ our 'early morning stroll' in the gardens." Elsa finished with a smirk on her face.

After an hour and a half of running around the castle halls, using a ballroom to host a well-rounded snowball fight, to finally ending up lying down in the gardens to watch the sun rise. With the added bit of snow, of course, and also the inclusion of a talking, warm-hugging snowman.

Anna groaned, covering her face with her hands while dropping her body onto the snow. She knew Kai would let her off easily, the good-natured man often sees her as if she were his own niece. Gerda, however, is a bit stricter even though she's normally as amiable as Kai. She would lecture Anna on how a princess should act like when not in the face of the public, and also plans to give her lessons regarding the known politics.

Elsa laughed softly at her sister's dramatic response, "Oh come on, it isn't that bad."

"Easy for you to say. You're the queen! You'll have an excuse for not being scolded." she grumbled.

"That's not to say that she won't at least give me a hearing of her own in private, you know. Queen or not, we're both going to be having a talk with her after this."

They were both lying down as they watched Olaf chase a butterfly in the flower gardens, giving a chuckle when the snowman tripped but happily continued on chasing the colorful insect.

"Well, I guess you're right." she admitted with a begrudging smile. Suddenly she beamed again. "Oh! Elsa, you should see this view that Kristoff and I found yesterday! It was sometime near sunset I think, near a cliff in the North Mountain. It looked beautiful!" Anna recalled with a contended sigh.

Elsa smiled at her sister, glad that Anna is enjoying the free reign of exploring around the town and castle with no worries. She tried to ignore that small part of her mind that wished to share the same experience, with no burdens whatsoever. Arguing with her inner self that it seemed unfair that her sister gets to have fun while she has to work on running the full state of a kingdom.

She shook these thoughts abruptly, feeling ashamed of herself for even considering it. Anna definitely deserves the freedom and happiness that she has right now. Elsa can't complain about being the heir to the throne, it was bestowed upon her by her parents and she would fulfill her duty. She would sacrifice her well-being if it meant keeping her sister safe and untroubled, she loved her that much.

"—and we got these chocolates from the shop that was said to be imported from—Elsa? Are you alright?"

Anna's voice startled her. She looked up and saw the redhead's concerned look on her. Elsa realized that Anna had been rambling for some minutes, as she was accustomed to, but paused as she realized that her sister wasn't joining much in the conversation.

"What? No, no I'm fine, Anna," she smiled at her, keeping her inner dispute at bay. "Now what were saying about imported chocolates?" she inquired smoothly.

But Anna still looked at her with a concerned gaze, albeit a bit dubiously, as if knowing that her sister isn't being entirely truthful to her. She saw the brief conflict on her face before covering it up. "Elsa, you know you can talk to me about anything right?" she said softly. And she won't judge her about it, even if she didn't entirely understand the predicament. Like Elsa, she loves her sister. Anna never gave up on her, even when things seemed bleak, she still believed that her sister could make things right. She's her best friend. Anna would help her in any way she can.

 _It's nothing_ , Elsa wanted to say but hesitated when she saw _that_ face. Her own softened a bit, as it always does when she was with Anna. She didn't like lying to her sister, she pretty much spent eight years hiding from her and it seemed unfair to do so again. She also knows that she can't conceal all her thoughts to herself, seeing as how _well_ that ended for her last time. But she also didn't want Anna involved in something minor, at least minor to her that is, so she compromised.

"Well...it's nothing much. I guess I've never really had much time for myself ever since becoming queen, not that I'm complaining," Elsa quickly added, not wanting to sound deprived. "I enjoy these moments we have with each other, and with Kristoff as well but... some small part me wants to explore on my own, wishing that I was never a queen so I can see the sights for myself." She sighed wistfully.

It wasn't _technically_ lying. With most of her time being focused on the state of the kingdom and its foreign affairs, as well spending time with her family, Elsa never really had much time for herself. Sometimes feeling stressed out on all her duties to the kingdom. Oh, there were those nights when she is able to read a couple of books or two from the library, but she could never really finish them. _Family. Duty. Honor._ She got that phrase from a fantasy novel that she once read, and silently agreed with it. Personal matters aside, your family must come first, followed by your responsibilities. Honor is subjective, so it varies how people see it. Many leaders and heroes of old set aside their personal matters for the greater good, so it seemed reasonable to Elsa that she should follow in their footsteps.

She knew that she should be content with herself; technically speaking, despite the rough beginnings, her life as ruler and a person is going rather well. There were other kingdoms where the common people hated their king, secretly planning revolts and assassinations to undermine their authority. Arendelle? Even though the people were initially fearful of her ice powers, they slowly adjusted to it and even admired it in wonder-like awe that Anna usually does. If she were born in a peasant family or to uncaring parents, she would have been casted out or executed for witchcraft. Anna and her parents? Even though the way they showed their care didn't really end up well, her mother and father did everything they could to help Elsa control her powers. Anna of course, loved her in her own bubbly, sisterly manner.

But some miniscule part of her mind couldn't help but just wonder. Whispering to her contented self that what would it be like to explore the known world herself. She had been an introvert most of her life, only gathering tales and wonders from story-telling and the books that she'd read. Never really finding it out for herself.

"But I wouldn't have it any other way," Elsa smiled. Despite the journey she had gone through, it helped shape up the woman who she was today. And she wouldn't have changed it for the world. Besides, dabbling into one's fate can be pretty dangerous. "So there's no need to worry, Anna. It's just me being my selfish self at times even though I don't need it." she reassured her sister.

"Hmm..." Anna replied thoughtfully. She was a bit surprised at Elsa's confession. Her sister was always so calm, reserved, experienced in the ways of grace and etiquette, good at hiding her emotions, which was why she was fit to be queen. It was only from behind the curtains where she reveals her true self to Anna, doubtful at times, fearful of her decisions, showing insecurity. She was grateful that Elsa didn't shut her out. Now knowing the crux of her sister's problems, she is more determined to help.

"That's it!" she loudly exclaimed, startling Elsa. "There's this carnival I heard from some guy down in the docks, he said that it's a traveling somewhere down in the southern kingdoms, staying in towns to host festivals and such for the people. It's perfect!"

"Now, now, Anna, like I said, there's no need for—" Elsa tried to tell her seemingly excited sister that it's alright, but she wasn't listening.

"Yeah! It'll be great and stuff! Think of the food, the people you'll meet, the foreign _chocolates_!" Anna's mouth practically watered at the thought.

"But we already have the—"

"And who knows? You might even finally get to find _your one and only_ , huh, Elsa?" Anna nudged her sister, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Elsa blushed, her cheeks bathed in a light pink that looked quite a sight on her normally pale skin. Her mind went back to her letters the previous night. She shook her reddened face away, not entirely interested in the prospect of romance at the moment.

"It's quite alright, Anna," she composed herself, desperate to change topic. "But, like I said, you and the kingdom come first. Besides, hanging out with you is enough for me. And some carnival isn't going to change that."

"Are you sure, Elsa?" Anna asked uncertainly, her butterfly moving thoughts wavering slightly. "But—"

"No buts," Elsa declared, standing up. "Now let's head down for breakfast, I'm sure the chefs have something special for you." she said, smiling down at her sister.

" _Fine_ ," Anna rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself. "But we're still going to talk about this later."

She laughed. "Alright, you win this, we'll talk about this later.

"Right after your meeting with Gerda of course."

Anna gave a groan. "You had to remind me about that, did you," she said, giving the elder sibling a deadpan expression.

Elsa laughed at her sister's expense. With one sweep of a hand, the entire garden was melted from its ice and snow commodities. The sisters then entered the castle, exchanging various topics and sharing a giggle once in a while.

But Anna didn't forget about their conversation as they sauntered their way towards the dining room, her mind already formulating a plan that would help benefit her sister.

 **000**

"Nope, I'm not going through with it," Hiccup insisted, covering his ears as he headed for the door. "No, I will not lay down my position as chief for this."

The occupants of the room gave a collective sigh as Gobber, with a speed that was quite feat for his age and size, crossed steps to block the door before Hiccup could grab the handle.

"Just give it some consideration, lad."

"I am giving it some considering, only my answer to that is no." Hiccup replied stubbornly.

It was nearly midday, the chief was on his way to look for his daughter when Eret called him, saying that Valka and Gobber had something to discuss with him. He was a bit sweaty under the heat of the sun at high noon so he didn't mind the brief shelter, and he is always open to speak with his family at anytime.

After today, he might have to change that line of thought.

"Alright," Hiccup finally gave in. "Care to explain again why I need the vacation? I'm perfectly fine! And besides, there's a lot to do as chief that needs to be done by me." He argued, waving his arms and gesturing to himself."

"Hiccup, it's been a long time since you've had an entire break for yourself. When was the last time you ever went to visit another island or village that doesn't involve a new dragon or meeting with the tribe's chief for discussions?" Valka asked.

"Aye, lad, you don't go off exploring the edge of the world like ye normally used to."

"Well, there was that time when—No, okay, but how about that one time where Thug invited me and Cami to—well that actually ended up being a discussion for a new dragon rider's group, but—" he hesitated, realizing they were right that it _has been_ a while since he last took a break for his own without any worries, but he's obstinate enough to admit it entirely to his friends.

"It's part of being a chief, that's all. Like dad once said, 'A chief's first duty is to his people' and I think I've gotten hang of it, sort of." Hiccup admitted. Thinking and speaking about his father didn't hurt as much as it did in the early days, where his dreams were even invaded by Stoick's manner of death.

"That's right," Gobber nodded. "But even Stoick took off his duties every once in a while. I remember that one time during Snoggletog where he and I did bobsledding across the northern mountains."

"But that doesn't mean—wait, you and dad did _bobsledding_?" Hiccup asked incredulously.

"Ha-ha! Damn right we did! He almost won by this inch," Gobber pinched his right forefinger and thumb closely together, showing little space. "but I got the upper hand when he hit Mrs. Zack's laundry rack." He guffawed, as if remembering that day. "You should've seen her face! Almost threatened to brain us with 'er axe! Ahh, those were the days."

"But how did you find other Bobs to be able to do the sledding?"

"Well, that's quite simple, we just asked—"

"As interesting as your Winter games sound like, I think we're moving past the original topic," Eret interceded, earning a grateful nod from Valka.

"Right. Now as we said before, your reasons are valid, son. Berk does need you, and you've helped us in any way possible for the past five years. And now, it's time for us to return our thanks, by giving you a break."

"It'll be good for you too, chief. To be able to explore the world again and meet travelers like when you met us." Eret suggested.

"And besides," Gobber decided to bring up their trump card, knowing that Hiccup would have to listen to this. "I heard little Nora's birthday is comin' up in a few days, am I right?" he nudged Hiccup playfully, giving Valka and Eret a subtle wink.

"Well... that's all true," Hiccup admitted slowly.

"So why not let her on a field trip for her birthday?" Valka urged. "She's never really seen anything past Berk, and it'll be quite the experience for her and to you as well."

They knew they were getting to Hiccup, he was slightly contemplating a bit more to what they have said, agreeing that maybe a little vacation _might_ do him good, but mentioning his daughter definitely brought in the deal closer.

"And if you're worried about who'll be keeping the village running while you're gone, there's no need to panic, we got it all covered." Gobber reassured confidently.

Hiccup raised a brow at that, looking to his mother for explanation.

"He means that we'll be running the village in your stead," she elaborated. "Snotlout will be acting chief and Gobber and I will be there to advise him and take care of the dragon business as well as visits from other tribes."

Generally, back then, the inhabitants of Berk would shudder at the thought of Snotlout running the village. There were times before when Hiccup was sick and unavailable, or when Astrid and Valka were too busy to intercede that Snotlout would take the helm of Berk. Their fear was not exaggerated... well, not by much. Least to say, the storms that Snotlout led them through while he was helmsman of Berk made the people's welcome of Hiccup more wholeheartedly than usual.

Hiccup would normally be apprehensive of his cousin taking watch over as chief, but he knew him well, and observed that adulthood had changed him in more ways than one. Marriage and fatherhood lessened his once near narcissistic arrogance and ego. Brenna was her name. Originally she had been offered to Hiccup as part of a treaty with a much skeptical tribe who were still distrustful of the rising 'Dragon Chief' as they dubbed him. Hiccup, of course, refused, seeing as he already had a wife, but introduced the Viking maiden to his second-in-command.

While he is still _too_ overconfident for Viking standards, it was more toned down as he became a lot smarter than he once was. Taking over the spot that Spitelout once did for Stoick, though providing his own opinion from time to time. And with the added help of Valka and Gobber, Hiccup was certain that the village would be in good hands.

With the last of his excuses and worries gone, Hiccup finally relented. "Oh alright, I'll think about it some more, but, um, yeah I might agree to it." he mumbled with a sigh. "Sorry, if I came in a bit too bull-headed at first." he apologized sheepishly.

Gobber and Eret laughed while Valka smiled, inwardly relieved that they finally got through him. "It's alright son, I wouldn't blame your decision of not wanting to relax, but you need it, Hiccup. It's for your own good."

"Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right." he conceded with a smile.

"But, one last thing," Hiccup pointed out with a frown. "Where would we be going? I mean, I don't mind bringing Nora to some of the other villages, but most of them will probably look like Berk, and I'm pretty sure she's too young to admire a great view when she sees one."

"Don't worry about that, chief, I've got it all covered," it was Eret who replied. "I've got just the place for a family vacation, all the while keeping it exciting of course." he assured with a grin.

Finally satisfied with all the proceedings, Hiccup once again headed for the door, Gobber sidestepping to let him through. "If you don't mind me asking," he asked, hand halfway on opening the door. "Can you at least tell me where we're going? I understand if it's a surprise, but I can't help myself on doing a bit of research regarding the place we're headed to." He couldn't stop his curiosity from getting the better of him

Realizing that all eyes were on him, Eret gave a shrug. "Sure, why not?" he said. "It's not in the archipelago if that's what you're thinking. I have to recheck my sea charts just to be certain, but it's a place somewhere far south from Berk." He thought for a bit, then nodded as if sure. "It's somewhere southeast from Berk's location. I'm not entirely sure about the name but I think it's named after a _weasel_ or some ferret." Eret shook his head in bafflement. "Why these southron kingdoms keep naming their strongholds after animals is a mystery to me."

* * *

 _I wonder where they're heading to._

 _Just so you guys know, I'm basing this Berk's location to that of Faroe Islands. After a bit of research regarding the geography, I'm going to pinpoint the Barbaric Archipelago a little bit farther north than the original location of Faroe Islands, at least in my story that is. I did it to try and put something as close as I can to historical accuracy in here. If anyone has suggestions to offer on where to pinpoint the location of Arendelle and its neighboring kingdoms, I would gratefully appreciate the help._


	3. Chapter 3

After a few more clarifications, it was decided that Eret would accompany them on their trip across the Long Sea to this 'weasel town'. The ex-pirate claimed that he has visited its docks before he became a dragon trapper.

Hiccup didn't mind the extra hand; In fact, he and Eret became good friends after Drago's defeat on Berk. He and Skullcrusher bonded well after a few lessons within the Academy and later joined the Dragons Riders group. Occasionally he would take to the sea, sailing with his crew on the _Fenrir_.

When asked why he still prefers to travel by sea when he has a dragon with him, he simply replied, "I was born a sailor. My father was one and his father was one as well. It's hard to let go of a trade that you've been accustomed to your whole life." Plus, Nora enjoys the stories when Eret boasts of the adventures he had during his time as a sea captain. Well, more so than Gobber's storytelling, that is.

He was walking around the streets of Berk, trying to look for Nora and nodding to the greetings of 'Chief' and 'Hiccup' by the other villagers. Hiccup preferred these than the titles he has been called or heard from throughout the other tribes. According to the twins, 'Dragonborn' was the latest one that he's being called, which even he found it a bit ridiculous.

Hiccup came to stop when he spotted a familiar black dragon perched on top of a house facing the village square. With his scaly back facing towards him, tail swishing lazily, Toothless seemed to be staring at something intently.

"Toothless! What are you doing up there, bud?" he called out.

The Night Fury's ears perked up at the sound of his rider's voice. Turning his head around, he warbled a reply, pointed his head forward at something below him, then looked back at Hiccup, repeating the gesture several times. As if telling him to come over there and have a look.

Bewildered, Hiccup complied. As he walked around to the front of the house, the sight before him made him pause in surprise.

A blonde little girl was trading blows with a dark-haired boy using wooden, toy weapons. It wasn't an irregular sight on Berk, seeing as Viking society seems to encourage their children to have an interest in fighting at a young age. But it was the identity of the kids that caught his attention.

Nora stuck her tongue out in concentration as she blocked a vertical slash with the haft of her axe. The boy pressed on, swinging his sword in a two-handed grip, with the blonde trying to block every move. There was no real force in their blows, as well as lack of style and finesse seeing as they were still too young to learn such fighting techniques.

The 'combat' went on for a while, with neither foe managing to land a strike on the other, until Nora went on the offense. Instead of blocking another swipe from his sword, she ducked instead, letting the wooden blade pass over her. The boy, not expecting the move, stumbled forward in surprise when he felt no resistance to his strike. Nora, still crouching, took advantage of the situation by positioning the curve of the axe blade in front of the boy's right leg, forcing him to fully trip onto the ground.

Nora stood up and turned around, reaching out a hand to help the boy stand up when he exclaimed, "You cheated!"

The blonde, surprised, let out a confused "What?"

"Yeah!" Ignoring the helping hand, the beaten boy pulled himself up to his feet. "You weren't supposed to duck that time!"

"But you said that there were no rules."

"Yeah, but, um, you cheated so that's how I lost."

"Hey," she narrowed her eyes at him. "That's not right. I beat you fair and square!"

"Nuh uh, you just admitted that you cheated, so I won."

"Did not!"

"Did too!" he retorted.

Their arguing voices bounced off of each other and went on for a few minutes, with Hiccup shaking his head at their bickering. He felt a scaly snout bump his left shoulder and turned to see Toothless looking curiously at him. "She really _is_ her mother's daughter." He told him with a hint of fondness. Toothless snorted, as if not fully agreeing to his claim, silently noting how the blonde girl kept moving her arms in an extravagant manner as she tried to convey her point to the stubborn boy.

Hiccup rolled his eyes as he noticed his best friend's expression. "Oh don't give me that," he complained playfully. "How many times do I have to tell you that I do _not_ move my arms like that when I talk about my inventions with you?"

Toothless apparently disagrees, huffing and giving him an ' _Oh really'_ look. And Hiccup thought, not for the first time, if he would ever win a proper argument against this dragon.

Hiccup decided that their squabbling is dragging on so he provided a distraction. "Well, that was quite an interesting fight," he said rather loudly, hoping to get their attention. The kids were startled at the sound of his voice and turned to look at them. Nora considerably brightened at the sight of her father.

"Dad!"

"Uncle Hiccup!"

Hiccup lowered down to his knees, arms wide open as his daughter and nephew nearly tackled him. Grinning slightly, he returned their hug and stood up, carrying both of them in his arms, legs dangling. Their shrieks of laughter carried off in broken pieces across the wind. To his left, Toothless grumbled slightly, giving a small whine on being ignored. Hiccup chuckled, "You big baby," he teased. But Nora, still giggling, disentangled herself from his arms and latched on to Toothless' neck. The dragon, now content at the attention he's receiving, gave his rider a smug look. Hiccup resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Oh yeah, bud, quite the passenger you got there," he dryly replied, watching as Nora carefully climbed over Toothless' neck, sliding down towards the saddle.

"Uncle, did you see that sword fight we had? I almost won!" said the dark-haired boy as Hiccup let him down.

"No way!" Nora protested, settling on top of Toothless' back. "I'm the winner!"

"Yeah, if you hadn't used that trick to cheat."

Not wanting a repeat of earlier, Hiccup opted to be the mediator of both sides. "Alright alright, you _both_ did well on the fight. Bjorn," emphasizing on the boy's name, "you did good on not giving your opponent the chance retaliate against your attack." Bjorn had a proud look on his face. "And Nora," turning to look at his daughter, "while what you did is not conventional to most Vikings, it is a clever move and is useful against real opponents in the battlefield." She beamed at him.

Secretly, he was impressed at Nora's performance. She was pretty smart for her age and was learning to use her brain more to get herself out of sticky situations, though sometimes her competitiveness gets in the way of her thinking.

The kids processed on what he said, then finally gave their begrudging agreement. Hiccup smiled at them both, with an inkling of nostalgia. Remembering how his childhood with Snotlout went and his cousin's one-sided infatuation with Astrid later on, it was a bit strange to see history repeating itself in a slightly different manner than before.

"Okay, now Bjorn, how about you go see your father for a while? I need to talk about something with Nora here and I'm pretty sure Snotlout has something to show you," hoping against hope that Snotlout has _indeed_ something for his son to entertain him for a while. He'll probably get called out on in later when they're in the great hall. Oh well.

Bjorn widened his blue eyes. "Really? I wonder if it's a new weapon he'll show me!" he gushed eagerly. Giving a quick goodbye to Hiccup, Nora and Toothless, he ran feverishly towards his house, hoping to find his dad there with a surprise for him.

Hiccup and Toothless chuckled, watching the boy disappear around the corner. He was not surprised at how much the boy took a lot after his father, his confident attitude next to his childish manner. Hopefully _Snotlout raises him well with Brenna_ , he thought, remembering her initial unimpressed reaction towards Snotlout's flirtatious advances, telling him bluntly that he better lessen his arrogant bravado if he actually wanted to have a chance with her.

"What did you to talk about, daddy?" asked a puzzled voice.

Hiccup turned to look at his daughter, still sitting atop Toothless with a curious expression on her face. He sobered up, realizing why he came to look for her in the first place. His throat choked up a bit as he began his words.

"Nora, I-I want to say I'm sorry for neglecting you these past few months," he lowered his head, not able to look at her straight in the eye. "I haven't been seeing you as much as I used to and I've sort of been avoiding you for a while. I want to apologize for that."

There was a silence that permeated the air, until she replied with a simple, "Why?"

Hiccup released a long breath that he didn't know he was holding in, "It's... It's because of your mom," he confessed quietly, shoulders slumped. "When you were born into this world, we were so proud to see that we've made such a beautiful girl. You looked so small, crying as I held you in my arms. We were so amazed that we actually made you together. Looking exactly like your mother, that is a blessing as well as a curse for me. When she passed away... something inside me broke, I-I couldn't accept that she's gone. You remind me so much of her that sometimes it makes me realize that I'll never see her again." He couldn't bear to look at Nora, the shame welling up inside him. "I was too selfish, drowned myself up with my own needs that it made me forget who I was and that I still have you. It made me remember that I still have someone who I can love and take care of." He let out a bitter laugh. "I'm-I'm sorry, you probably hate me. I've been a terrible father to you. I know I won't forgive myself for this, I guess I finally know how dad felt when he experienced the same thing." He closed his eyes shut, not willing the tears to let loose. "Gods, I'm pathetic."

Toothless let out a sad croon, wanting to tell Hiccup that it wasn't his fault, cursing his physiology for not being able to convey it in words. Even he was affected by the manner of Astrid's death. He lost a friend, his rider's mate, a sister. It fell to him to prevent Stormfly from receiving the same fate. The Nadder was devastated at the loss her rider, feeling herself lost without her. It took much convincing from Toothless and the others to get Stormfly to start eating again and live. He tried to comfort Hiccup in the same way but actions alone can't help shake him from his grief.

Nora was silent as she atop Toothless, pondering on what her father had said. She nudged the dragon with her toe, quietly prompting him to move closer to the slumped figure. Hiccup had his back facing towards them so he did not see the movement. To say he was surprised when he felt a pair of short arms envelop around his neck was an understatement. His eyes shot open in disbelief as he felt Nora's forehead rest on his shoulder, tightening her arms around him.

"I forgive you, dad."

Momentarily stunned, he couldn't get his vocal chords to work, bringing his arms around her small body instead, albeit tentatively.

"You... you do?"

He felt her nodding to his shoulder with a sniff. "Grandma said that's what you grown ups do when someone you love goes away. She said that she felt the same when Grandpa left," she raised her head and looked at him with innocent, tear-stained eyes. "Do you love her, daddy?"

He didn't even hesitate as he stared into those green orbs that were of his own, a face that was like her own.

"Always."

After that, there no words needed between the two Haddocks. Only grasping in each other's arms under the light of the afternoon sun. He breathed in her hair as he smoothed down several sprouts coming out of the small braid across her back. _How could I have ever neglected her_ , he thought as he held Nora in his arms.

The comfortable silence would have lasted much longer, had it not for Toothless' scaly head appearing in between them. Tension finally broken through, Hiccup couldn't help but make noise akin to a laugh and a yelp as the dragon made its presence known. Nora was more or less the same, giggling as she patted Toothless' spiny head.

"Couldn't help yourself to wait much longer, could you, bud?" Giving him a mock glare as the teasing in his voice made itself known. Toothless had the grace to shrug apologetically, not wanting to ruin the moment but impatient that they were taking _so_ long. Why do humans have to complicate such simple things? He had seen enough of their mating rituals to prove his point.

Setting down Nora, Hiccup suddenly recalled his conversation with Eret and knelt down as well, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Nora, I'd like to make it up to you, for being a terrible dad these past few months. How would you like to come with me on a trip away from Berk?"

Nora's eyes widened at the suggestion. She has yet to see beyond the rocky shores of Berk, despite its vast array of aerial dragons. She was treated with utmost care on Berk, being the first female heir that the tribe had in nearly a hundred years and being next in line to the throne after Hiccup. Added to the fact that she is still too young to have a dragon of her own, her perspective of the world is limited only to her local residence.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. When he nodded in affirmation, she exploded with questions. "Where are going? Is it the Bog Burglars? Dragon Island? Meathead Island? Oh, oh, mom said that you once named an island Itchy Armpit, is that where—?"

"Whoa whoa there, kiddo! It's a surprise," he tried to calm the incoming barrage, but he himself was grinning. "Eret is coming with us to, uh, you know give your old dad here some help if we ever get into trouble. I will say though, it's a place where even _I_ haven't been before." Letting his last words settle in.

"Wow..." Everyone on Berk knew that Hiccup was an avid explorer back then when he was younger. Sometimes taking the gang with him and most of the time just him and Toothless. He was responsible for charting almost all lands, villages and tribes within the Barbaric Archipelago into a map, finally providing easy transportation between inter-friendly villages. For him to admit that he has no idea where they're going is quite rare.

"When are going, dad? Oh wow, I can't want!" Her body almost jumping up and down as the possibilities of adventure crossed through her mind.

"Tomorrow," Eret told him that even with dragons the excursion would take probably about a week before they arrive at their destination. "We'll leave at sundown. Now, don't you tire yourself in packing, we have plenty of time to do that later. First, let's head off for lunch."

"Okay, dad," her excitement draining for now, replaced with a loud rumble coming from her stomach. She frowned. Hiccup laughed.

"See? Looks like your tummy agrees with me."

He pokes her in the stomach teasingly, receiving cries of 'No I'm not!' and a mumble of 'Okay, maybe a little.' Hiccup laced his hand into hers, preparing to head for the great hall before calling out to Toothless, who got bored of the conversation and opted to chat with a purple Monstrous Nightmare.

As the trio entered the hall, Hiccup mused that he had one more thing to do before they leave tomorrow. Seeing as he'll be taking leave for a few weeks he knew that he has to do it now. But, feeling the small palm of Nora in one hand and the company of his best friend at the other, he decides that he'll worry about it later and enjoy the moment of peace he had with his family.

 **000**

The air grew colder as Toothless headed farther north, flapping his wings as he glided over icelandic waters. Glaciers of various shapes and sizes floated across the sea, large chunks of land covered in masses snow that it could almost be mistaken for solid ice.

"Just a little bit farther, bud, you know where it is." Hiccup's muffled voice barely penetrated over the pierce whistling of the wind. The dragon grunted in reply.

He squinted through the slits of his helmet, trying to calculate their location. His grip on the handles tightened so as not to be carried off the saddle by a rogue breeze. On the left stirrup, his metallic prosthetic went to work, constantly in motion so as to direct the set of cables connected to the prosthetic tailfin, moving it in perfect tandem with the original one.

Turning to his right, the rider spotted on what he was looking for: a wide opening cutting under a rocky cliff, waves of seawater crashing through its stony shores, a natural entrance carved out from the rock itself, a sea cave.

"Over there! To the right, try to glide under that cliff!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Toothless turned his head to where his rider was pointing at and started to make his descent towards there.

Hiccup gave a sigh of relief as they finally entered the enclosing walls of the cave, thanking the gods for refuge. They continued onwards, however, not stopping for rest as they glided past narrow stalactites until they finally reached the end of the tunnel. Another entrance laid there, this one much smaller than that of the mouth of the cave, providing a strange glow. As soon as they landed, the rider climbed down from his saddle, switched his prosthetic for walking gear, and leaned on the wall as he controlled his panting. The dragon did something of the similar sort, shaking himself out of its weather-beaten reverie, and sneezed. He surveyed the surrounding area with an annoyed glare as he blasts the ground around him to provide warmth.

"Yeah, I don't like using this entrance either, but it's the safest way to avoid that snowstorm outside," Hiccup slid his face guard up so he can breath more easily.

After retaining his composure, he walked over to the back of the saddle, where his bags are attached. He didn't carry too much, as the weight would render the limitations of Toothless' speed. He stowed his helmet and grabbed a waterskin, popping the cork as he drank its contents greedily.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Hiccup patted Toothless' neck as he stared at this second entrance. "Come on, bud."

He and Toothless traversed through the second tunnel, which lead to more narrow corridors. Their only source of guide being the faint glow that was always far from their sight. As they pushed deeper, the structure of the walls began to change. Jagged ice, blue in a summer day, began to encompass the once mountainous caverns, giving much needed light for them to see where they were going.

Hiccup made a stop once he reached a wall where his reflection could be seen, and quickly took in his current appearance. His chestnut brown hair was as wild as ever, longer as well. Over at his right shoulder, small braids could be seen littered. He initially didn't like being braided but eventually gave in, admitting that he sort of grew fond of it over the years. Now he kept it as a remembrance of his late wife. There were dark circles under his eyes, indicating the late, sleepless nights he had endured. Staring at his green eyes, he noted the gaunt look it had, as well as the faint scar he had over his right eye. Running down from the center of his thick brow to just below the eye. He held a hand over his angular jaw, feeling the rough scruff of auburn hair that covered his face in a short beard.

"Maybe I do need a shave," he muttered to himself, finished examining his mien.

Toothless, who was also busy staring at himself while trying to lick the ice, raised his ear plates as he heard a sound coming from ahead of them. Nudging his rider, they continued their way.

As they passed by, they found the origin of the noise that the Toothless' heard. There were several dragons lying around, most of them asleep, probably seeking refuge as well from the freezing squall outside. Some raised their heads at the sound of the duo's footsteps, bowing in reverence to Toothless as they recognized the alpha dragon.

The Night Fury himself drew up slightly, straightening his back as he walked with more stature. He raised his head upwards, openly showing his proud dragon lineage and nodding in reply to their gesture.

"I hope that 'alpha' status isn't going to your head, bud," Hiccup quipped as they moved past the resting dragons.

Without breaking stride, Hiccup felt a swat on the back of his head coming from the Night Fury's tail. Rubbing his head, he glared at Toothless as the dragon blinked at him innocently. _Who? Me?_

Hiccup snorted, stifling a grin as he knew the dragon wouldn't take it personally.

Reaching the end of the cavern, Hiccup covered his eyes as blinding light came upon them. Lowering his arm, he took in the stadium-sized room filled with greens and blues. There were a multitude of colorful dragons flying around, not as many as the ones that inhabit Berk, but enough to consider itself a colony. There were large pillars of rocks where dragons can be seen resting and making nests. Up above where an open ceiling was supposed to provide sunlight in the hidden oasis, a cone of ice covered its surrounding. From an exterior perspective, it would grab the appearance of a mountain volcano, carved by ice instead of earth. The narrow crater at the tip providing an entrance for any oncoming dragons that wishes to seek shelter. There were several other passageways to this dragon oasis but the tip is the most prominent opening to most.

At the far side of the chamber, a massive lake was situated, with numerous waterfalls flowing in from nearby walls. Several dragons were bathing in the warm water, taking advantage of if its freshwater feel. If one had an acute observation, they would have noticed the small, almost imperceptible bubbles coming from a portion of the lake.

The duo made their way towards the lake, with the occasional dragon gliding down to bow to the alpha, ending at the edge of a cliff. Below it, a small waterfall pouring its daily income in deep waters.

"Alright," Hiccup placed his hands on his hips. "You know the drill, bud. He's not as bad as he once was. It's been a long time and he mostly spends his time here like he promised. And besides, he _did_ swore his allegiance to you." He directed that last bit to Toothless.

Toothless grunted in assent, though a bit reluctantly. Be it as it may, he is still suspicious of him despite his peaceful upbringings throughout the years. It can't be helped, trusting a dragon that once delved into your mind and forcing you to commit a terrible act.

"Okay then," he breathed in and exhaled slowly. Bringing his hands to cup his mouth, he yelled. "Hey Tusk! Are you there, big guy?"

For several minutes nothing happened, with Hiccup repeating the call twice until the group of bubbling water suddenly stopped. Then slowly but surely a large mass can be seen rising from the lake, its dark frills and spines showing before the fullness of its scarred body revealed itself. A massive dark dragon emerged from the once still lake. Its back and tail layered with large spikes and a pair of flightless wings. A broad chin, riddled with small barbs and a mammoth-like tusks imprinted in its facial features. Its left tusk was largely different from its counterpart, a small stump of bone that was all that remained after Toothless' plasma blast. The Bewilderbeast's upper face retained its lion frilled mane; its reddish-blue eyes, once a lifetime ago filled with rage and restlessness now showed an expression of curiosity and brief annoyance from being awakened from its slumber.

Tusk raised himself up on his hind legs, opting to use front paws to balance himself on the cliff. Raising his head as he peered down at the dragon and rider in front of him. Seeing those piercing blue eyes, Hiccup had a sense of deja vu, in another scene with a different Bewilderbeast staring right at him. Shaking his head of the thought, he stepped forward to greet the newcomer.

"Hey there, Tusk! It's me, you know, Hiccup, here to visit you." Hiccup called out lightheartedly, as if speaking to an old friend and not the murderer of his father. The colossal dragon stared at him for a moment before breathing him an icy snort in reply.

Hiccup shook the frost away, giving a laugh. "I guess all you Bewilderbeasts greet your visitors that way, huh?" He jested, tension slightly relieving from his shoulders. "Uh, you remember Toothless, right?"

The former alpha and the current alpha locked eyes with each other as they had a stare down, speaking in silent conversation. Hiccup glanced at them worriedly, he knew Toothless was still suspicious of Tusk even after all these years, their first reunion proved that.

The two of them encountered the beaten Bewilderbeast a few months after Berk was rebuild, lying half-dead on an island with its master nowhere in sight. They presumed Drago to be dead, seeing as no one-armed man could have survived alone during the harsh winter that entered after their brief struggle. He was lying on the shore, dehydrated from laying down under the sun for too long, not once returning to the ocean. Hiccup was reluctant to leave him, even when Toothless fervently persuaded him to. He knew that this dragon was the one who gave the order to Toothless to fire at Stoick, yet why is it that he can't get himself to be angry at him? He can't really explain it. All he knew is that if he left the dragon to his own devices, he would be no better than Drago himself. It took a _long_ time for him to get either dragon to cooperate; Toothless had growled in dissent at thought of helping their former enemy and Tusk was ignorant of them, wishing to die on his own terms. After much pleading, and bribery of five barrels of cod for Toothless, they managed to get the Bewilderbeast to a safer location.

When the silence became almost unbearable for Hiccup, Tusk bowed. His massive head and remaining tusk tilted down as he acknowledged Toothless as the Alpha dragon. Toothless drew himself up and gave a respectable nod in reply, coming to an agreement with him. Hiccup gave an inward sigh of relief, the tension between the two almost made his knees buckle.

"So... yeah!" he decided to break the ice, so to speak. "I know it's a bit early for us to be here, probably a week early unlike our last visit, but Toothless and I are leaving Berk for a few weeks so we wouldn't be able to visit you.

"We came here to inform you of that. I know you enjoy our visits here from time to time and I find it unfair if we leave without telling you that we'll be unavailable for our next visit." Tusk gave a short nod, showing that he understood his words.

After the Bewilderbest begrudgingly agreed to their terms, his first act of showing repent was creating a dragon sanctuary similar to that of his predecessor. There were dragons in Valka's Bewilderbeast flock that still preferred to stay in that region of the north, seeing as they have been living there for twenty years or more, despite Berk's attractions for them. So, with cautious optimism, they settled in Tusk's domain. They didn't accept him immediately, they knew how he mind controlled them against their will and weren't willing to forgive him that easily. However, in time, they came to appreciate his presence among them and even offered him their liberated fish from time to time. While Tusk enjoyed their company, it can't be helped that he was still used to having a human near his stature. Being tortured ever since he was a hatchling, he was forced to be dependent on human presence.

Which is why Hiccup and Toothless visit him on occasions, that being their end of the bargain. Tusk still won't help others, preferring to mind his own business and not wanting to get caught in the affairs of the Vikings any longer, though he will consider any requests given to him by Hiccup and Toothless. He and the Night Fury don't see eye to eye in most of their meetings, but he respects him for besting him in a direct challenge, therefore claiming the title of Alpha.

"That's all we're here for really. I'm sorry that we're cutting this visit short, but we promise that we'll make it up next time, right bud?" Nudging his best friend, Hiccup gave him a questioning smile. Toothless rolled his eyes in amusement and roared in agreement so Tusk could see.

Tusk gazed upon them with intelligent eyes, considering. Then abruptly he began to lean his head forward with eyes closed, startling Toothless. Hiccup also frowned in confusion as to what he was doing, then a slow smile began to adorn his face in realization. Pacifying Toothless' agitation by scratching his neck, he held his right arm up, palm facing forward, and turned his head away from the large dragon.

It wasn't until he felt the wet, spiny scalp of Tusk's forehead on his fingers that the slow smile turned into a full-fledged grin.

* * *

 _Hiccup-centric chapter, hope you guys don't mind. I wanted him to resolve some things on Berk before he left._

 _First time for me writing an emotional scene as well as describing lots of detail, I hope it was understandable and didn't come off as confusing._

 _Alright, this has been a weird thing that's been bugging me ever since I watched the movies and tv show, and this question is probably silly to most of you but still I just want it answered. Is Hiccup's hair auburn or brown? Because in the movies and cartoon he was always portrayed as a brunette, yet in most fanfictions I've read he's described as having auburn hair. I know, useless question and I'm not expecting it to be answered, but I just wanted to get that off my chest._


	4. Chapter 4

_To answer about the name of the Bewilderbeast, it's well-known that Hiccup is prone to give dangerous dragons the most docile of names. Like Toothless, Hiccup names Drago's Bewilderbeast after its most distinguishable feature: the one remaining tusk._

 _Thanks again for the the constructive reviews, answered questions, and support for this story. I hope to be consistent in my uploads._

* * *

Elsa was strolling along the gardens when Anna found her.

She had dismissed her council meeting earlier than usual that day, wishing to ponder upon the matter privately. They received an emissary from Corona, bearing news from south of the country.

According to their envoy, there were small skirmishes happening between two kingdoms south of Corona. Rulers of both states denied having any part in the fighting, though the continued fighting within their lands says otherwise. Though this does not entirely affect Corona in their feud, the king and queen are apprehensive that if war were to escalate, their kingdom might get caught in the crossfire. Precautions were made, with soldiers sent from the capital to guard their borders and to warn of any incoming invaders. As an added afterthought, they sent an emissary to their ally, Arendelle, proposed by the crown princess herself. Their request consists about sending a score of men-at-arms to their land, as an added measure to their safety. Promised to be sent home as soon as possible once it was confirmed that their kingdom is at ease.

Members of her council immediately declared their thoughts on the matter and took sides. Some agreed with Corona's concerns regarding their predicament and voted to send a ship straightaway. Others protested on the gesture, arguing that sending soldiers, even a small force, might make further kingdoms view that Arendelle has an agenda of joining this potential war by increasing the troops of another kingdom, hoping to share the residue of the outcome. The general reasoned that the state of their troops had to be thought of, with most of them not used to the much warmer climate of their sun-favored ally and distance of such a trip.

With that and much more arguments and reasoning launched by each of her councilors, Elsa decided that she needed to clear her mind before coming to a decision. Most of the nobles sagaciously agreed with her, suggesting that a brush of air might help her majesty think upon an answer, though a few protested that the matter must settled immediately, with more news to come. Regardless, Elsa politely excused herself from the council chambers, addressing that she will be back on the morrow for her response. Noting their respective bows before she left the room, she could almost hear the burst of another argument erupt before the door was closed.

Elsa released a heavy breath that she didn't know she was holding in as she crossed a small stone bridge that arched over a medium-sized pond. She smiled as she watched a mother duck lead its hatchlings towards the grassy shores of the water. Sunlight made criss-crossed shadows through the leaves of a willow tree. The bright green of the grass and leaves stood out against the grey, brick stone walls that surround the garden. The multicolored flowers seem to make the scene more lively, offering a faint glow under the bright morning sun.

She pursed her lips in thought, roaming absently as she walked over the round stone steps placed on top of the neatly trimmed grass. Elsa's first instinct when she received the message was to send help to Corona. It wouldn't do good on Arendelle's reputation if they didn't provide aid to their allies. The fact that Corona's queen and her father were siblings only made Elsa more obligated to help the sisters' only remaining family across the sea. But openly sending armed men to Corona might alert other nearby kingdoms to presume that they are supporting the war. It may seem unlikely that many would believe that a small, prosperous kingdom like Arendelle would have an interest in warfare, but others hear what they want to hear, and would use that false information to forward their own plans.

Elsa stopped by a a wooden bench, situated between two birch trees with clear view of the glistening pond in front of it. The branches of profuse leaves providing a reasonable amount of shade from the warm rays of the sun. She sat on the bench with an exasperated huff, contemplating on how to deal with this.

She could accompany the men along their trip to Corona so she could further prove that she has no interests in gaining, only concerned over the welfare of an allied kingdom. But that would mean she had to leave Arendelle, and as much as she trusts her Council and advisors, she couldn't leave the state of the kingdom in their hands. She knew that not all of their expressed opinions and concern were genuine, some may have done it to gain favor or to use the information and bend to it for his own uses. Politics, she has no liking of it. She knew it was necessary and as part of her duties as queen to participate in it, but she doesn't like the faux formalities or the strained smiles and words she has to use to appease. While she trusts some of them, she preferred to do a hands on approach in running the kingdom she inherited from generations of her family.

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the head of strawberry-blonde hair appear at the doorway leading towards the garden. Noticing her sister with a considerable frown on her face, Anna silently waltzed towards the bench. Elsa was startled from her musings when she felt the wooden planks on her left shift under the weight of someone sitting.

"Elsa!"

"Anna?"

Elsa brought her gaze towards the grinning redhead, who was wearing a sun-colored dress to reflect the morning's jovial setting.

"So, are you ready to discuss _you-know-what_?"

For a moment Elsa didn't comprehend, giving her sister a baffled look until realization sunk in and she resisted the urge to groan.

She had desperately hoped that Anna forgot about their conversation during that rather snowy morning, since she hadn't approached the subject to her even after two days. Elsa was starting to relax, glad that Anna decided to enjoy herself rather than trying to come up with some scheme that could _potentially_ land them both in trouble, all for good intentions of course. But based on the look on her face and conversation they were about to have, she was pretty sure that luck was not shining on her.

" _Anna_ ," Elsa lightly chided. "I told you that you don't have to spend trouble on doing this. I am perfectly content with what I have."

"Yeah, but you _did_ also say that we can at least talk about this later, right? And this the first time I brought it up." Anna replied with a cheeky grin.

"Well... that's true." Elsa relented, reluctantly.

She was a bit surprised at her sister's memory of words. Anna was usually this observant only when she is really determined on doing something, and it looks like she's taking this seriously.

"Okay, Elsa," Anna finally appealed to her sister, giving her the momentum. "Why don't you want me to help you visit that carnival? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity! And it's much of what you deserve, for being a good ruler to us."

Taking a deep breath, Elsa began, silently thanking her sister for the chance. "Like I said, Anna, I'm glad with what I have. I have you, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven, even Marshmallow as my source of friendship and warmth. I don't need some carnival to shake things up in my life. Court life and your usual 'shenanigans' are already keeping me on my toes." She gave her a teasing smile, which Anna returned with a flushed face.

"And besides, from what you've told me, the carnival is going take place in _Weselton_ , of all kingdoms. You know that the Duke still won't apologize for what happened three years ago during my coronation and we're not really in the best of terms with him. Plus, there's another problem that's been set on my plate." That last sentence she mostly muttered to herself, though Anna still heard.

"You mean that situation with Corona?"

Elsa must have looked quite surprised for Anna quickly replied, "I asked Kai on what the fuss was all about when I passed the Council chamber room. Don't punish him! It's all my fault for being curious." She looked sheepish as she admitted this. "Sorry, Elsa."

"Oh, it's alright, Anna." Elsa waved the apology aside, knowing she could never truly get angry with her sister.

"But my point still stands. Other than this incident with Corona, as long as the disagreement between Arendelle and Weselton stands, I cannot set foot on their shores without probably getting arrested or escorted straight to the Duke." She tried to tell Anna that she really appreciated the effort. "But I really want to thank you, Anna, for trying to help me."

"Oh shush, Elsa, you don't need to thank me." Anna then gave her a mischievous grin, one that made Elsa shiver despite the warm atmosphere of the garden.

" _But_ ," she prolonged the word. "You still haven't heard the whole part of my plan. I promise, you won't get in trouble for this! I got it all figured out. And besides," she shot Elsa an arched eyebrow, pausing for dramatic effect. "Who ever said _you_ were going to Weselton in the first place?"

 **000**

"So, like I said, we're going to need new names before we arrive in Weselton."

"What's wrong with my name?"

"Nothing really, other than it being named after an involuntary diaphragm spasm. Hey, _hey_ , I was just joking!" Eret raised his hands in a placating gesture, in response to the Chief's unamused face.

Hiccup rolled his eyes at the jape, prodding him to continue.

"Like I said, Hiccup's not a bad name, I know how the Viking culture works. Besides, Eret son of Eret is bloody fine title, is it not?"

"Sure, Eret junior. Sure."

Ignoring his sarcastic response, Eret explained further. "But to these southerners our names may seem outlandish if we introduce ourselves to them. Trust me, I've been in that situation before."

"So we're getting an alias to avoid attracting too much attention to ourselves?"

"That's right."

They were flying at a steady pace over endless waters, feeling the cool air brush against them as they glided through the clouds. It was their third day on the trip, taking refuge on an occasional island every sundown so they could wake up early next morning and be on their way. Currently they were making idle conversation to pass the time, with Nora sleeping soundly in front of him.

"I was thinking of going by the name of 'John Snow'." Eret proudly proclaimed.

"John Snow?" Hiccup scrunched his eyebrows at the name. "Okay, I _guess_ I can see you as a 'John', though personally I think 'Kit' would make a lot more sense. But _snow_? Since when did you start naming yourself after Skaði's element?"

Eret merely shrugged. "What? I think it's catchy, and it adds a bit of flair to it. Short and easy to remember, all the qualities you need to catch a fair maiden's eye."

Hiccup hid cough behind his hand. "Is Ruffnut a part of this band of fair maiden you seek?" He asked, watching in mild amusement as Eret's expression slightly faltered at the mention of the blonde Viking twin.

"Errm... well... she is a rather fine..." He tried to look for the word. "... lady, to say the least." He finished weakly. Seeing Hiccup's barely contained grin, he grumbled in acceptance. "Oh bugger off, go on then! You can barely hide your laugh from behind that hand."

Instead of laughing, Hiccup shook his head in empathy, smiling. "She still hasn't gotten over you yet? It's been _five_ years."

Eret groaned, leaning back on his chair saddle. "I thought so too!" He agreed defeatedly. "She hasn't tried making a move on me for a long time so I thought we could be friends. Ruffnut is actually a pleasant person once you get to know her. But just before we left she cornered me in the Great Hall and gave me a kiss, saying that her 'family shed' is available at _all_ times." Eret shuddered at the implication.

"Well, at least she didn't you invite to Tuff's 'Soggy Alone Place', now _that_ would've made things more awkward." Hiccup swore Eret's face almost turned green as Skullcrusher's scales.

Speaking of dragons, it seems like they were carrying a discussion of their own. Exchanging a series of light growls and grunts back and forth as they flew casually towards their destination.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Eret asked, glancing curiously at a huff Skrullcrusher made at Toothless' last warble.

Hiccup shrugged, patting his dragon's thick neck affectionately. "Probably discussing on how your fake name doesn't really have that 'flair' you were looking for." He replied nonchalantly.

He was about to respond in kind when both dragons suddenly snorted and simultaneously turned their eye on the tattooed rider, giving him an unblinking stare.

 _Coincidence_ , Eret thought. _It has to be that, yes, that's what it is._ Yet he had this uncomfortable feeling that Hiccup was right when Skullcrusher gave Toothless a bark and the black dragon responded with a throaty laugh.

They were now approaching land, Hiccup saw. Large, peak mountains quite similar to the ones Berk only more plentiful. They descended from the clouds, low enough to see the surrounding area but still indiscernible to any local traveler. Below them were a field of forests, providing no lack of lumber for homes that live in this side of the world. There were slivers of rivers as well, zigzagging behind various fjords making it troublesome for any sailor to navigate on their path.

"Hey Eret, do you think we should settle down for now?" Hiccup inquired, glancing at the sun that was slowly sinking across the horizon.

Eret bit his lip in thought, looking up to glance at the stars, pinpointing on what location they were in.

"Aye, I think you're right. Don't worry about setting camp for the night, there's a small village near us. It's in the outskirts of a nearby kingdom so don't worry about any officials getting suspicious about us."

Hiccup nodded, angling Toothless downward, Skullcrusher following in tow. After skirting the dense wooden forest for a while, they found a decent clearing where the dragons can land. There was a small river a few feet away, providing water for the now exhausted dragons.

As Hiccup gently woke Nora up, Eret gave Skullcrusher a pat before disappearing into the forest. By the time he came back, there was a small fire with Nora and Hiccup relaxing around it, Toothless and Skullcrusher were sleeping peacefully behind them, wing muscles aching after a long flight.

Hiccup gave him a questioning look, wondering where he's been for the past hour. Eret threw him a shirt in return.

"Been scouting the area," he replied, holding a grey, sleeveless tunic. "I found a small farm a few yards away. Don't worry, they didn't see me. I had to liberate some clothes so that we can blend in with the locals." Ignoring Hiccup's disapproving look, he promptly turned around and took off his furs and shirt, changing into the one he commandeered.

Hiccup sighed, standing up and proceeding to unfasten his black metal and leather armor. He scrutinized the shirt Eret gave him, a long-sleeved red-orange tunic that landed just below his belt, before putting it on. He thought about changing his pants, but decided that there was nothing distinctive about it and kept it on. He frowned as he noticed something.

"What about Nora?" The young girl was poking the flames with a stick, who looked up at the sound of her name. "Wouldn't she need to change too?"

Eret, after refastening his belt and attaching the fur vambraces, gave her attire a critical eye. "She doesn't look different from much of the children here so I didn't get her anything. She'll fit in right with them." He explained.

Nora was wearing a purple, long-sleeved shirt, similar to that of her father, and a short blue skirt that ended just above her knees. With light green leggings and a pair of short boots.

"Alright, I think that's about it. We'll leave the dragons here for the night, they could use the silence after a hard day. There's an inn in that village I'm talking about, with hot food and a warm bed for the night."

Both riders went to their respective dragons and gave them words of comfort, promising they'll be back early in the morning. "Try to not eat all of the river fishes, would you would, bud? Or else we'll be getting questions from the villagers as to why their main source of food is gone." He teased slightly at the lying dragon. Toothless opened one eye to peer at his human, rolling it before closing and giving him a purr.

Satisfied, Hiccup took a bundle from one of the pack bags in his saddle. Opening the linen wrap, it appeared to be a boot, dark brown, identical to the footwear on his right except for its inner content. It was enclosed to fit the metal shape of his prosthetic peg leg, giving the illusion of two full legs. After securing the boot leg with a click, he set out with Eret and his daughter.

They arrived at the village just as nightfall came upon them. It was a modest settlement, a string of houses littered along the sides, with prominent stores such as a blacksmith and tavern. Hiccup glanced upon the scene with interest, noting the architecture of the houses, slightly different to their own. Roofs that are much angular and simple to their hull-shaped ones back home. Most of the villagers didn't mind them and went on about their business, probably eager for supper after a long day.

Nora swiveled her head constantly, taking the view around her in wide-eyed wonder. So many different people and places, it made the girl giddy with excitement.

Eret spotted the inn, somewhere near the village center, and lead their group towards the two-story building. He bartered with the innkeeper, who was a short, stocky man, yet held himself with a sharp tongue. They settled for a fair price of five copper coins for two rooms for a night. He offered them a meal which they accepted, and headed for the dining hall.

After partaking an entree of mutton, chicken, and lamb, the three Vikings were filled and tired. They were brought to their rooms by the innkeeper, who nodded without surprise as they affirmed that they found the lodgings comfortable. Nora opted to read a copy of the Book of Dragons that Hiccup brought with him, under the light of a burning candle. The two adults, tired but still not feeling the need to sleep, headed back to drink some ale with the other customers.

"So, a traveler of sort, are you?" asked a bearded man, after refilling his mug.

"Aye, name's John Snow and this is Henrik," Eret raised a thumb to Hiccup, who nodded in acknowledgment.

"Nice to meet you, Garrick's the name. These two are me co-workers, Albin and Hadvar." He gestured to his compatriots, who raised their mug in greeting.

"So what brings your group to this small settlement of ours?" Garrick asked curiously. "We don't get much visitors from this far north."

"We're just passing by, probably on our way to see the capital for the sights," Eret lied smoothly.

"Ah, off to see the Castle Arendelle aren't ya?" It was Hadvar who replied this time. He nodded in approval. "I haven't been inside the castle, but it looks massive from the outside."

"Of course it's massive. It's _a castle_ , they don't make those things to be the size of taverns, you know." Albin retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"I don't suppose you've been there before, have you, Albin?" Hiccup interposed before Hadvar could reply.

Albin nodded. "I've been there, alright. Several times, but never past the gates. Only nobles are allowed inside."

"Ah, so how goes the capital? Is her majesty faring well in her health?" Eret continued conversationally, having been more updated on events south of the Archipelago.

The three men looked at each other and shrugged, "She seems alright," Garrick commented. "Last I've heard is she sailed south, to Corona."

"Corona? Why the hell's the queen heading that far south?" Hadvar asked incredulously.

"From what others have told me, there seems to be trouble brewing south of that country. The queen had to because she's cousins with their princess there, I think. Not too sure. News travel slow here up north."

"When did she leave?" Hiccup inquired with interest.

"About two days ago, I think. She left the royal palace in the hands of the Princess Anna."

"My cousin met her once. Said she was a nice, young lady. Always out walking in the streets with that ice man of hers."

"Aye, she doesn't look to be that bad. I hear she's quite popular, like the queen."

Albin snorted. "Far more suitable than that Southern Isles prince, was Hansel his name? Can't remember."

"Me neither," Garrick agreed. "I don't trust much of them southerners who come here, bringing in their drama. Queen Elsa's reign doesn't need their meddling about."

"And there's our toast," Eret piped up, raising his cup. "to Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

"I can drink to that," laughed Garrick as all of them repeated his words and clanked their drinks before swigging it down their throats.

Later, when they were all asleep in their beds, and with Nora lightly snoring by his side, Hiccup stared at the ceiling before slowly falling into the bliss of sleep. The queen's name echoing in his ears all night.

* * *

 _Sorry for the short chapter._

 _Fun fact: Skaði (or Skadi) is the Norse goddess of Winter and of the Hunt. Her character was represented in one of author Hans Christian Anderson's stories, "The Snow Queen" which Frozen was adapted upon._

 _I wonder if there are any Ranger's Apprentice readers out there that got my reference in this chapter._

 _Curious though, have you guys watched Dragons: Race To The Edge yet? It's a pretty awesome 3rd season for HTTYD, I'm not sure I ever laughed this much at Tuffnut's antics throughout half this season._


	5. Chapter 5

The gentle rapping on the wooden door startled Elsa out of her book-ridden reverie.

She was currently sitting on the small bed situated far to the right of the captain's quarters, reading a book under the provided luster of the large, glass windows. The cabin was quite spacious than what she originally assumed. Rectangular-shaped in all corners of the ligneous room except the ceiling, which was slightly curved upwards, hanging with small lit-lanterns to supply proper vision.

In front of the windows stands an ornate, mahogany table containing a map, goblet, and navigation equipment used by the captain. There were several chests, papers, objects and paraphernalia around the room that gained Elsa's interest, but decided to hold off her curiosity to retain the owner of his privacy. Normally, the room was disheveled, having no need to clean everything up when it will be used again at a daily basis, but was hastily tidied up for the queen's temporary lodgings.

The captain stubbornly insisted that Elsa borrow his quarters for the majority of the trip, reasoning that it would be unruly of his position to treat his guests like common sailors. Despite her protests that she simply wanted a private space in the lower decks, his decision remained firm.

As another knock echoed across the silent room, Elsa told the visitor to come in, shutting the novel she was reading and holding it on her lap. The door opened, welcoming the presence of a girl slightly younger than the queen, with short red hair and brown eyes wearing a simple dark green dress.

At the sight of the queen, she automatically bowed and curtsied. "Your Majesty."

"Cassandra," Elsa said, realizing that it was her handmaiden. "Please, rise up. Is everything alright?" Noticing that she hadn't called for her she wondered why the girl came to the cabin, if not bearing news.

"Yes, your Majesty, everything is fine. Captain Finnegan would just like me to inform you that we had just passed the Southern Isles and that the ship is now at a faraway distance for our men not to be seen by the mainland," the servant reassured.

Elsa gave a huge sigh of relief, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Thank you, Cassandra, for bringing me the news. Tell the captain that I'll be joining him up deck shortly. Inform the soldiers as well that they can now stay on the deck if they wish for some air. And you can have the time off for now, there's nothing much for us to do on a ship," she addressed the girl with a smile.

Cassandra thanked the queen generously and curtsied before taking her leave and shutting the door.

Her thoughts mused on the girl as she began to dress in more appropriate clothing before heading out to meet the captain. Truthfully, Cassandra was not one of the handmaidens that accompanied her back in Arendelle; in fact, she was actually a part of Anna's retinue. Judging from her rather positive and easy personality, it seems that her sister's attitude may have rubbed off on her. Anna told her that Cassandra is a very dependable and trustworthy friend of hers and assured that she'll be of help in regards to how Elsa can blend in with the common people, whatever that meant.

Elsa was faintly apprehensive of leaving Anna as acting regent in her stead. Her sister was kindhearted and well-liked but can be quite impulsive at times. She was originally shocked when Anna announced that she wouldn't be joining her on this trip, reasoning that someone had to rule Arendelle while she was gone, and who better to learn than the Crown Princess herself? Besides, Gerda might finally be able to lecture her on how to properly uphold a kingdom.

Realizing that she was all alone on this journey made Elsa afraid as well as excited. She had no idea how Anna was able to convince her that this was a good idea, but she had to give her credit because so far it seemed to be working. None in her council objected when she announced that she will be accompanying the men to Corona, though they were confused as to why she did not want to travel on the royal ship. She explained that she wanted to pass the Kingdom of the Southern Isles without interference so she decided to chart a more subtle vessel.

After Hans' failed coup d'état, further interaction between the Southern Isles and Arendelle remained neutral. The Westergård royal family strongly denied in having a part in their thirteenth son's scheme and guaranteed that he is being thoroughly punished for his treasonous actions. Elsa accepted their claim but refused to do any alliances with them other than trade business. The Westergårds have tried in many ways to persuade the queen to rethink of the offer but she remained steadfast in her decision. Strictly business. Nothing more, nothing less.

Hence why she paid Captain Finnegan a hefty amount of coin for their voyage to Corona on his trade vessel, and an added extra for a secret back tour to Weselton. She did not want any unnecessary stop overs on their trip and a ship bearing the Arendelle royal ensign will certainly attract the locals' attention. The seasoned captain made no remarks or complaints when he was approached by the queen and agreed to the terms.

Elsa decided on donning a purple dress with a black long-sleeved turtleneck blouse. She wore a green shawl over it to cover most of her upper torso. The shawl also provided a hood that she can use to hide her lustrous platinum blonde hair. It was such the most distinguished feature on her. It mildly annoyed her that almost anyone can determine her royal lineage just by catching a glimpse of her silver flowing locks, so she adjusted the hood to divert some attention from herself.

As she opened the cabin doors, she felt a brief gust of wind enter the room. The first thing that came to her senses as she walked on the main deck was the scent of sea salt flowing in the air. Giving a rather foreign feeling as the ship trudged through the waves. She watched as several sailors climbed on the shrouds of the ship. Most were busy on either keeping the movement of sail constant or lying below deck for some sleep.

Before she made her way towards the helm to speak with the captain, she pondered on how will she be able to remain inconspicuous once they arrive in Weselton. That was one factor she did not consider and needed to be dealt with immediately if she wishes avoid cause a foreign incident.

 **000**

Little did Elsa know, Anna also encountered a similar predicament when she proudly shared her in-depth plan with Kristoff. The blond ice man was a bit worried that she might inadvertently put the queen—and secretly his future sister-in-law—in danger, and tried to dissuade her by pointing out that Elsa had no way of entering Weselton's docks without being immediately recognized by the townsfolk or guards.

Anna pursed her lips when this flaw was pointed out, but then brightened up when she was struck with an idea.

" _Relax_ , Kristoff," Anna assured the still doubtful Kristoff once she explained to him how it'll work. "Trust me, Elsa is going thank me for this when she gets back. I just hope she doesn't mind losing a few strands along the way."

And so it came to pass that Cassandra once again came knocking on the door, this time carrying with her a satchel and a full bucket of water.

Elsa looked up once more when the door opened to reveal the redhead. "Cassandra," a surprised tone in her voice. "I didn't know you were still up late at this hour."

It was near midnight, with all of the crew choosing to retire for the evening near the port of Corona. The ship was able to arrive there just before night fell and Captain Finnegan decided that they'll continue the rest of the journey tomorrow, once his men gets some proper rest. So it lay anchored a few meters away from the harbor, with all its inhabitants snoring and rested, or so she thought.

"Not yet, my queen. I still have some business to do before I retire to bed." She was dressed differently too, wearing a plain white shirt with its sleeves tucked to the elbow, underneath a brown dress. Over it was an apron, similar to that of a chef but grey in coloring. Her shoulder-length hair was tied in a short ponytail. Elsa took notice of the equipment she brought in and wondered what those were for.

"Oh? Do you mind telling me what this 'business' is that you have to attend to?" Elsa asked with an arched brow.

Cassandra shuffled her feet uneasily as she thought of a response. Instead of replying candidly, she answered with a question.

"If you mind me asking, your Majesty, why is it that you don't like to stay on deck while the ship sails through the sea?" She inquired, genuinely curious as to why.

Slightly taken aback by the quick change of topic, Elsa cautiously decided to go through with it. "It's not because I'm afraid of getting seasickness if that's what you mean. It's just that... well... my mother and father both passed away in the same manner of passage."

"Oh," was all Cassandra could say, silenced by the melancholic tone that phrased her last sentence.

"It was a hard time for me, at the precipice of controlling my powers. My parents were my only source of hope and guidance at the time, with me advised to isolate myself from Anna," she continued on, whispering. Despite the methods that the previous monarch tried to do to pacify their daughter's powers failing to work, and ultimately causing a rift between the two siblings, Elsa still loved her parents very much and knew that they cared for her.

"When I was initially told of their deaths, my mind froze. I could not believe it. I couldn't even bear to be there at their funeral, with Anna. It was during that time where I believed that there was no hope for me, that I was doomed to bring Arendelle down because of my failure to control my powers. I was angry and bitter at them, for leaving me alone. Ashamed that I had the nerve to be angry at them. Then sad and lonely, when I realized that I can never see them again."

Elsa was quiet for moment then persisted on, " _That_ is why I'm uncomfortable when I stand aboard a sailing ship. It reminded me of my parents' death and how it could happen the same to me at anytime ." She was immensely relieved when the captain told her that they will be experiencing only clear skies and waves during this time of year. "It makes me remember the hardship I went through and the pain that I caused to myself and Anna because of inability to control my powers."

For a moment silence devoured the room, with the servant breaking the tension. "Oh... Please, forgive me, your Majesty. I-I didn't mean to..." Cassandra tried to apologize, feeling awkward and ashamed of herself for asking such a personal question. "I didn't mean to force you to relive those thoughts... I... I think I better go. Forgive me, I'll just return at a better time..."

But Elsa gathered herself, refusing to make herself appear even more vulnerable to her subjects as it is. "No, it's alright, Cassandra." She tried for a smile, "You simply did not know, and I'm not holding it against you." She paused. "Please, I would prefer that you call me 'Elsa' from this moment on. We are going to be personally acquainted in the following days and I would like for us to know each other on a first-name basis."

Cassandra stared at her, wide-eyed. "I... Of course, your Maje—I mean, Elsa." The name sounded foreign on her lips. She nodded to herself, as if agreeing. "I'd like for you to call me in simple calling as well. 'Cass' and 'Cassie' will do, if you don't mind," she suggested shyly to Elsa.

The queen smiled, as if amused. "Very well, Cass," glad that they come into more amiable terms. They both smiled at each other, relishing the tension dissipating into more pleasant waters.

Elsa tilted her head. "So... why is it that you came to me at this hour?"

"Huh?" Cassandra looked at her confusedly, then slapped a hand on her forehead. "Oh! Right! Err... well... actually, it has something to do about Weselton once we arrive there tomorrow."

After her brief conversation with the captain earlier, she learned that with a steady wind like this they'll reach Corona in about a day's time. Feeling cooped up in the ship, Elsa began to feel impatient about the ordeal and decided to conjure a short but firm breeze to keep the sails sustained throughout the entire day. By sundown they were able to arrive at Corona and deploy the soldiers without her having to leave the ship. Tomorrow afternoon, they reach Weselton.

Seeing Elsa's look of interest, she explained further. "Princess Anna had some suggestions as to how you'll remain incognito once we reach Weselton's docks, but she said that I should for your permission first."

"Permission? What for?"

"I... cannot tell you about it your—Elsa," she corrected, remembering their previous conversation. "The princess _specifically_ said that I should show it to you instead, but only after you've agreed to let me do it."

Elsa frowned at this, giving a thoughtful look. She could simply order Cassandra to reveal to her what she's planned but then she's also curious as to why Anna would make the effort to keep it vague in the first place. It's to be beneficial to her secrecy in Weselton so how bad could it be that her consent had to be asked before doing it? In the end, she decides to trust her sister's judgment and gave her acquiescence to the waiting servant.

"You won't regret it, Elsa." The girl beamed at her, then began to bring out the contents of the leather bag. Several assortments of clay jars were brought out, roots, herbs and spices were scattered across the table where the satchel was placed on. The bucket of water sat upon a stool next to the table.

The redhead ushered the queen to sit down on the chair next to her, still focused on bringing her tools out onto the table with utmost care.

As she brought out the last piece of arsenal from the bag, Elsa began to pale even further. _Now_ she understood why Anna had to let Cassandra coax her without revealing what's to come. She silently wanted to curse her sister's triumph in getting her to agree with this and at the same time praise her for her resourcefulness. Elsa kept her apprehensive eyes on the gleaming metal in Cassandra's hands, resigning herself to her fate.

Cassandra gave it an experimental snip before holding it out to Elsa, giving her an innocent smile. "So, how short do you want it to be?"

 **000**

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am most definitely sure."

"Okay."

"I'm bored. What about now?"

Eret gave her an exasperated look, then turning it to Hiccup whose interest was solely focused on staring at the horizon, as if finding it somehow fascinating.

"Care to join in, chief?"

"Hmm," Hiccup seemed to have broken out of a trance. "Oh, I see. Right."

Giving Nora a smile, he patted her on the back. "It's nice of you to ask questions and be curious, Nora. I was like that when I was a kid, and if it weren't for it I would never have found Toothless in the first place." He scratched his best friend's neck for emphasis, earning an appreciative warble. "It could lead you to an adventure like it did to me before." He said, encouraging the blonde girl, much to the dismay of Eret.

"Okay, daddy!" Nora gave him a beaming smile.

"That's my princess," Hiccup grinned at her. Feeling a pointed glare beside him, he decided to tone it down a bit. For now. "But, how about you take the reigns for me? My arms are feeling tired and I'm sure Toothless will appreciate a much eager rider to help him fly through."

"Really?" She asked eagerly.

"Yeah! Here, I'll show you."

After teaching the basic strokes on how to maneuver using the handles implemented in front of her, she began direct Toothless cheerfully. The dragon responded in kind, flapping his tongue out as he let the young rider guide his path, with Hiccup's prosthetic following the ever-changing movements.

Hiccup shot Eret a grin as the man gave a grateful sigh. "Thank the gods, I thought she would never stop asking."

"Well, you can't blame her. It's been days and she's getting bored of just sitting here out in the skies."

It was almost five days since they last left Berk, and the lack of activity was making them restless and bored. They were gliding over the ocean, choosing to hide below the clouds to escape the balmy glaze of the afternoon sun.

"Are you sure we're going the right place?" He asked skeptically, leaning back from the saddle to give Nora more space in front of him. The ennui was getting to him too, since he was expecting a change of pace to get his mind off Berk.

"Relax, we're almost there. If my charts are right—and they usually are—we'll be arriving there in a few minutes."

"I can hardly wait."

They had passed several lands since they left Arendelle, unfortunately they were not able to sneak a peak at the capital and its wonders since they were at a schedule. Most of those they encountered were rather unimpressive and uninhabited, though there were several animals that panicked at the sight of the huge flying creatures.

" _Hey_ now, don't give me that look. I promised amazing and I assure you that you will be—Ah, here we are!"

Hiccup turned his gaze to where Eret was looking at couldn't help his eyes from widening at the scene before him.

Several miles ahead of them lay a port so large, it could filled all of Berk's fleet and still have enough space to occupy its own. The ships. Odin's beard, they look _massive_. The three-masted vessels that sheltered in the harbor were enormous compared to their narrow Viking longships. Rows of houses were sprawled across the mainlands, marking the lodgings of numerous people living in the surrounding area. At the far center stood a large stone castle, embroidered with banners spattered in red and blue. It gleamed in the sunlight, looking majestic even from their position in the sky.

Even Nora had to stop with her flying to stare the view. The wooden and sturdy houses she was used to on Berk were nothing in comparison to these giants. It looked so large even from up here, the kingdom expelled almost a magical aura towards an outsider.

Eret cleared his throat, a smug look on his face as he took in Hiccup's still awestruck expression. Could you blame him? He was no stranger to breathtaking sights and wonders. He thought he'd seen everything from the back of a dragon, but the world never failed to surprise him once again. He didn't even consider shutting his slightly gaping mouth.

He extended an arm forward, as if displaying his next big catch.

"Lady and gents, may I present to you the kingdom of Weselton."

* * *

 _This chapter was supposed to be much longer but I decided to cut it here._

 _I'd like to point out a few things so that other readers won't be confused. These first few chapters, which I like to call the **prologue** chapters, will focus on Hiccup and Elsa's first meeting and establish the world around them. Which may or may not happen next chapter, who knows. I'm sorry if this story feels slow to some of you readers but soon I hope to hasten up the plot._

 _Am I the only one here who felt that Elsa had to have felt anger at her parents' death? It's more of a selfish heat of the moment type of anger that she would immediately feel guilty afterwards, but still she experienced the emotion. I mean, they didn't really do a great job on helping their daughter control her powers and now_ _they_ _suddenly leave her all alone with a kingdom on her shoulders and a strained relationship with Anna. Maybe it's just me and my dark thoughts._

 _Thank you for reading and please leave a review or comment on the way out._


	6. Chapter 6

_Took my time in writing this chapter. I have to admit, this part was both hard and fun to type. I just hope you guys enjoy the end result._

 _Thank you for reading and please leave a comment on your way out._

* * *

After landing in the woods near the outskirts of the city, they made brief farewells to their dragons.

Hiccup switched Toothless' red prosthetic tailfin to a black leathered one with a golden mechanism at the end, enabling him to fly on his own without a rider. The black dragon whined at the sight of that contraption, he thought he destroyed that thing ages ago! But Hiccup reforged it later on for situations like this and the dragon had no choice but to comply with it. Giving him one last sloppy lick, Toothless shot through the air following Skullcrusher, leaving behind a saliva-stained, complaining Viking chief.

Making their way towards the city gates, Hiccup couldn't help but feel excited. He hasn't felt this much exhilaration coursing through his veins since he started exploring new lands and dragons with the gang back when he was nineteen. His duties as chief left him little to no time for adventure and made his recent years somewhat lacking. Now this feeling was being reawakened.

He took note of the architecture and design of the buildings. Thick-timbered structures that looked simple in design yet retaining a sort of homey feeling to it. They were more vibrant than what he was used to on Berk, their roofs a mismatch of blue, red, yellow and purple. Crowds of people were brushing through everywhere, some in hurry, others taking a casual stroll or just plain running around the streets.

Hiccup wasn't sure if he can take much of this. His mind was processing so much information at a fast rate that he felt like sitting down to rest, opting to slowly accept the situation around him. Eret's reaction was more reserved, yet he couldn't help but feel relaxed in these lands. People who are welcoming and friendly to those who came by to visit, exchanging a bit of coin for luxury and food every now and then. It had been a long time for him as well to travel within these waters again. He made a mental note to visit several taverns, if their owners were still the same as before, and strike conversation with familiar faces.

Nora, well, to put it plainly she could pop her head out from her shoulders if she kept swiveling it around at that pace. She was fascinated. They were in the marketplace, filled with stalls and stands scented with enchanting flavors and items that spark mystery throughout her mind. Sea salt permeated the air, being close to the docks. It was a welcoming scent, making all of this real. That they were actually in a foreign kingdom and wandering through its streets.

"Okay. So, uh, what do we do now?" Hiccup asked Eret, who had much more experience in this than him.

"Right, so the first thing we need to do is find a place to shelter for the time being. I would rather we do it now before it's all filled with dusty travelers like us in the evening," Eret suggested.

"Sounds like a good plan," Hiccup agreed. Glad to have someone be with him to share the burden.

"Then maybe after that we can stroll around the city for ourselves. From what I've learned it seems like the carnival will be available tomorrow, so we should enjoy our sightseeing today."

"Alright then," he hesitated, not sure if he should bring it up, "I won't be seeing you drunk in some tavern by the end of tonight, right?"

Seeing his uncomfortable stance as he asked, Eret grinned impishly, putting a beefy arm around the chief's shoulder. "Well, I won't _guarantee_ you that I'll be punctual in our homestead by tonight but I'll try not to forget that I still have companions on this trip while I do my... business."

"That's reassuring." Hiccup replied sarcastically, already imagining finding a drunk and wasted Eret with a tankard of mead in hand, arms probably slipped around the waist of a lady in similar status.

"Speaking of which, what do you think, Nora?"

She did not reply.

Hiccup turned his head left, preparing to ask his daughter on what's wrong but not finding her on the spot.

"Nora?" They stopped walking in the middle of the marketplace, stacks of flapping tents and wooden stalls erected around them. Hordes of people were bustling about, chatting absentmindedly, carrying packages, ignoring the two Vikings who suddenly paused in the middle of their path. It was almost impossible to discern anyone if you were searching for a person, much less a child.

Realizing that his daughter was missing, Hiccup began to panic. His heart started pounding at rapid pace. Beads of sweat formed on his brow. Green eyes frantically scanned the crowd, looking for some indication on where she'd gone. Where was she? He shouted her name amidst the sound of hardened leather and wood pounding on the stone pavement, his calls were belittled by the crowd's own beat.

"Oh gods, oh gods. Where is she?!" Hiccup's voice was starting to take on a high pitch.

"Chief, calm down."

"Calm down? _Calm down_?! We're not even done through the day yet and I already lost Nora!"

"I understand, Hiccup." Eret used his name to try reaching him better and to mollify his agitation. There were people who gave them strange looks. "But we need to focus, she couldn't have gotten too far. Something must've grabbed her attention. She's _still_ in the markets. We just need to keep our attention on finding her."

That seemed to pierce through Hiccup's wall of anxiety. Forcing himself to take deep breaths and closing his eyes, then opening them again. He took on a determined stance, his eyes betraying the growing concern clenching inside him.

"You're right," he breathed, "I have to stay calm. Panicking won't solve anything."

"So what's the plan, chief?"

Hiccup didn't reply immediately, taking in the state of the crowd and the size of their surroundings. There's no way a little girl could have gotten too far ahead of them especially if she was feeling lost. They just need to act carefully. It was a fairly large market, searching for her together would prove to be more safe and precise but time consuming.

"I say we split into finding her. It'll cover more ground and help us find her quickly. If needed we can search for a vantage point to have a clear view of the area. I'll take the area closest to us while you go near the entrances. Chances are that she might have wandered that far. We'll double back here in an hour, if we still can't find her then we'll go together."

Eret nodded in agreement. "You got it, Hiccup."

He grasped the brunette's arm before leaving, giving him a reassuring but determined squeeze. "We'll find her, chief. I promise you that."

Heart in his throat, Hiccup merely nodded, not sure if he can speak in kind. Without another glance, he took off into the wall of rowdy beings.

 **000**

"Nora! _Nora_!"

Hiccup's voice briefly rose over the commotion of several conversing people. They glared and muttered curses under their breath as he ran past them, but he paid them no mind. His vision narrowed upon searching a blonde braided girl, removing all other distractions from his thoughts.

 _Where could she be_? He wondered as he paused to catch his breath. He had been running around for several minutes now, checking the docks to see if she attracted herself among the ships and sailors, but finding nothing to guide him to her location. Searching through the various stalls and tents prove to be fruitless as well, with each storekeeper claiming to have seen no such child, nor would they have paid attention to her if she were to be near them anyway.

He clenched his fists at the words of the last dealer he'd met, claiming that he has no idea where she was, but might organize a search party among his men for the right amount of coin. Greed. It would always empower others, drowning their sense of morality in exchange for coin and wealth. He had no doubt that the man would have grabbed his money and thrown him out once he gets his pay, without even complying to the end of the bargain.

If Toothless were here he would've already ridden him and soared over the sea of people to search for his daughter. But to his misfortune the Night Fury was nowhere in sight and the commotion would scare people away into hiding their homes, causing panic among them and luring the hound of guards. Hiccup was almost tempted to risk it, to make a dragon call so that his friend would respond and aid him in his search. But he shook the thought away, one desperate move could lead to another, landing him in prison and possibly the execution of him and Toothless.

He wondered if Eret was fairing much better, or was in the same predicament as Hiccup was in. He had no idea.

He glanced at the wooden buildings not too far away from him, guarded by another wall of people traversing through the streets. Their front entrances have a large glass wall positioned a few meters above the ground. Beside it stood a door with a metal hook above it holding a bell. There seem to be items displayed behind the glass wall as well as words painted over it.

His mind entertained the absurd thought that Nora might be in one of those buildings. They were located just outside the marketplace, where the streets were more narrowed and less people crowding through its roads. How could have Nora thought of going there when she was apparently lost near the center of the market in the first place?

Left with no other options, and realizing that he had nothing to lose anyway other than running around in circles within the market district, he trudged through the crowd and stepped through suburban area. These shops looked to be one-story compared to the houses that he's seen around the city. With several wooden signs nailed or hanged on rods over the building.

As he rounded over the next corner, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Several feet ahead of him stood a woman holding a blonde little girl's hand with their back facing him. His gaze, however, was focused on the small braid cascaded across on the child's back. He had no doubt.

"Nora," He called out hoarsely, throat parched from constantly shouting out her name half an hour ago.

Both ladies whipped around and the girl let out a gasp, tiny hands covering her mouth.

"Daddy!" Nora wrenched her hand from the woman and ran towards him.

He bent down on one knee, a look of relief on his face as he scooped up his little girl. "Nora," he hugged the girl tightly and kissed her golden hair. "Thank the gods you're alright. I was so afraid that I'd lost you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving you behind."

Nora wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's okay, Dad. I'm sorry too."

After several minutes of hugging each other, they both let go, with Hiccup kissing her again before gently asking, "Where were you anyway? I thought you were right beside me when we were walking around the plaza."

"It's all my fault," Nora murmured, casting her eyes downward. "I followed this guy who was showing other kids like me some kind of talking man in his hands. After a while he left and I couldn't find you anymore. I'm sorry, Daddy. Are you mad?"

"Not as much as I wanted to," he chuckled, not having the heart to get angry with her. He tilted her head up so their eyes would meet. Green on green. "I'm just glad that you're alright."

Nora beamed and hugged him again, not letting go until she was satisfied that he was really here.

The woman smiled at the scene, standing a few feet away to give them some privacy.

"That nice lady helped me look for you when I was lost," Nora spoke in a hushed tone, discreetly pointing at her. "She said that it would be easier for us to find you if we were somewhere with less people blocking us."

Hiccup blinked, glancing up at the woman as if noticing her for the first time.

She had a comely appearance; a delicate face with well-defined cheekbones, pale skin, and large blue eyes. Her raven black hair was oddly styled in a spiky fashion, sticking up instead of letting it flow down beneath her shoulders like most women did. It was also shorter than what he was accustomed to, yet did not detract from her exquisite aspect. From her attire she wore a dark blue dress that ended just above the ground. Over her torso was a grey cotton jacket, unbuttoned with its sleeves reaching up to her wrists, hands clasped in front of her. Around her neck laid a necklace, laced in a simple string with a blue stone hanging from the center. She evoked a sort of quiet grace that stood out from most people he's met so far.

He stood up abruptly, carrying Nora in his arms. A faint flush creeped over his neck as he realized that he forgot to thank the stranger for taking care of his daughter when she was lost in her dilemma. It was as if his manners suddenly left him. Hiccup walked over to thank her.

"Hey-I, err... um... thank you... for helping Nora."

Did he just stammer? It had been a long time since anyone was able to render him in such a situation.

The lady gave him a friendly smile. "You're welcome," she said, her voice sounding melodic yet also guarded in a way. "I'm just glad you two are back together."

Hiccup chuckled. "Yeah, me too."

Nora giggled.

They stared at each other for a few moments, with Hiccup opening his mouth to speak before they were interrupted from somewhere behind him.

"Chief!"

The three of them wheeled their gaze on Eret, who was making his way through the crowd to get to them, a huge grin on his face. Hiccup waved him over with his free hand, the other occupied with holding Nora.

"Nicely done," he said as soon as he was in speaking distance. "I knew you could find her." He was grasping for air, a thin layer of sweat covering his skin and shirt from running around the area.

"Thanks, but it wasn't me who found her first," Hiccup explained, feeling the need to show his gratitude towards the dark haired lady for keeping her safe. "She found Nora after we lost her and helped her look for us. If it weren't for her we'd probably still be searching until sundown. She deserves our thanks." He said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.

Eret looked over him and gave a bemused look, his eyebrows scrunching. "Who is this _she_ you're talking about?"

"What d'you mean? She's right he—" he turned his head towards her and stopped. "What the—? She was right here a second ago. Where did she go?" He wondered aloud, switching his gaze to several bystanders who were walking about across the street but not finding his daughter's helper.

"Did you see where she went, Nora?"

The blonde shook her head, "Nope, after Eret called I didn't see her anymore."

"Well, chances are you'll meet her again soon. I'm just glad this is all over with." Eret said heartily, stretching his arms and legs to relieve the sore muscles. "How about we go look for that inn now? Before we get sidetracked again into someone else's problem this time."

Hiccup agreed, letting Nora down but still holding each other's hands. They left for the inn with Eret making suggestive remarks along the way about him already finding a new lady friend on his first day in town. To which Hiccup replied by rolling his eyes, reasoning that he didn't even get the chance to ask her name, let alone become friends with her.

Though inwardly he can't help but wonder why she suddenly disappeared without even saying goodbye. He didn't scare her off, did he? Oh gods, what if he did? He could do well without the drama lingering his entire stay here.

 **000**

Sunlight seeped through the shuttered windows of the wooden room, providing strands of glowing light to illuminate the otherwise dingy bedroom. There were a few luggages that were stacked in one corner, left open to reveal its contents of clothes, books, and personal effects that seemed useless to anyone but its owner.

Elsa's eyes fluttered open, disturbed by the warm rays showering over her slumbering body. She groaned, desperately covering her eyes with an arm to keep the peaceful repose to last much longer, but it was too late; her body was already adjusting to its usual routine despite her mind's protests. Knowing that it was futile, she sat up and gave a huge yawn, rubbing her still drowsy eyes.

For a moment she grew rigid, alarmed that she was lying down in straw stuffed mattress around a foreign room instead of her usual cotton linen bed and familiar confines, then relaxed when she remembered where she was and what she was planning to do. Her eyes surveyed the room as she lighted a candle on her bedside. With the windows shut, the candle glowed even brighter, casting strange, ominous shadows along the floor and walls.

Now fully awake, she bit her lip in contemplation as she thought of what to do in the midst of her post-awakening. Slipping from the bed, she walked over to one side of the room and held her ear against the wall. Sure enough, a faint humming could be heard resonating from the room adjacent to hers. It was the rising and descending of breaths, repeating in a continuous manner followed by the unmistakable sound of a snore. Elsa gave a light chuckle at this, the edges of her lips quirking into a smile.

She had no idea that Cassandra was such a loud snorer. When the queen initially suggested that they share rooms the servant hastily declined, explaining with a flushed face that she was prone to snoring a lot, especially when she feels exhausted before going to sleep. Elsa repeatedly told her that she didn't mind, having her own experience with sleep snoring before so she was no stranger to it. But Cassandra insisted.

And Cassandra _did_ exhaust herself the previous day when they arrived in Weselton. Looking for the proper accommodations that would suit her and the queen, buying subtle clothing that would help her blend in with the common people, and shopping around for ample provisions to name a few. By the end of the day the poor girl was visibly sweating buckets. It did not help that the warmer climate was taking its toll on the two northerners, having to adjust their top and sleeves every now and then to make it loose. Elsa felt guilty for not being of much help to her friend so she gave her the rest of the night off, not taking no for an answer. The redhead was immensely grateful, not even attempting to protest as she whimpered at the softness of her bed.

With that thought in mind, Elsa decided not to wake the resting girl for now, not wanting to deprive her of a well-deserved sleep. Instead, she began to dress and groom herself in proper clothing, clearly going out for a walk.

She checked her appearance by the mirror, eyes immediately locking on to the mass of platinum blonde hair that was currently dyed black. Instinctively she brushed her bangs to the side, still finding the sensation of having short hair strange. She was used to feeling strands of hair skimming her shoulders and back, tousled every time she wakes up or forming a curtain of dripping mess after a long bath. She found it peculiar that she was aware of these oddities only after her hair was cut and darkened, never really noticing the changes compared to her former coiffure.

Regardless, she can't deny that she didn't find the new look to be appealing. It provided much attention to her neck and collarbone, features that had previously gone unnoticed thanks to her silver drapes. Her facial features were also heightened of focus, leaving her face to be displayed at full force, especially her eyes and lips. She was not aiming to attract anyone's attention, despite the cheeky pesterings of Cassandra, but she did enjoy the change of pace from the formal etiquette regarding fashion.

After combing the short locks with her fingers, obviously still entranced by the feeling of less ringlets, she grabbed a small clay jar from her belongings. Opening the lid carefully, she dipped three of her fingers to its sticky, fluid contents. After seizing a reasonable amount on her palm, she began applying the ointment to her hair in splattering patterns. _Only apply a just amount so that your hair won't harden_ _too much that it would look unnatural_ , Cassandra spoke in her thoughts, repeating the words she advised once she finished cutting off the luscious amount of hair and mixing the ingredients for the ointment.

Satisfied with recreating the spiky strands that she went for the previous day, she left the room and headed for the stairs. The landlord nodded amicably as she passed through the front desk, greeting her a good morning to which she returned in kind.

Now as she walks through the streets of Weselton, she can't help but admire its landscape and people. She had this exaggerated image in her mind that the common people were was pompous as their Duke, but she was proven wrong. The people she'd met so far were rather polite, hospitable, sometimes gruff but friendly even to foreigners. Alhough it had to be said that living in a coastal town would not be so profitable had they decline every oncoming visitor by being rude and unwelcoming.

Just like her own people and the rest of the world, they can't be judged by the actions committed by their ruler and instead should be deemed individually.

 _Speaking of which_ , Elsa thought as she wandered aimlessly through the city, marking down buildings which she found interesting and, overall, just enjoying herself to walking on the steps of a foreign country which she is not favored upon. So far no one has questioned her appearance and for that she was grateful for. She did notice several people cast a lingering look on her as if scrutinizing her, which made her heart pound faster in trepidation, but then they would shake their head and go about their business.

She did wonder about the young girl she found in the marketplace yesterday. The child was walking alone amongst the crowd, getting pushed and knocked over by people taller than her whether they were conscious of it or not. She had this lost expression on her face, almost like her own when she was surrounded by numerous lords and ladies for the first time during her coronation. She knew that feeling all too well. It was like being choked by the pressure of so many people around, judging, whispering and talking about you. Only this time she can tell that it was far more terrifying for the girl than it was for her.

Elsa wasn't sure if that was what urged her to come and comfort the child or because of the style of braid that she wore reminded the queen of her own dressing when she was of the same age that attracted her attention. Regardless of the reason, she crouched and gently asked the child if she was lost. The little girl, who introduced herself as Nora, looked almost ready to cry as she nodded vigorously, murmuring that she misses her daddy.

Promising her that it was going to be alright and that she'll help her find her father, Elsa brought her along to ask help from Cassandra. The redhead was busy checking for clothing at a tailor shop down the narrow-winded roads when Elsa brought Nora with her. But as it turns out she didn't her needed help. Just as they were about to enter the store the girl's father suddenly appeared and called her.

She stood a few distances away from their little reunion, not wanting to disturb them from their moment. Smiling at them, she felt her heart clench as she remembered her own parents and longed to feel their arms around her. Even as an adult, she can't help but miss the kiss of a mother's love, or the warm hug of a gentle father.

She was only able to trade a few words with the girl's father before they were interrupted, though she did find his sputtered thank you to be quite amusing. It didn't help that it was at that exact moment that Cassandra came out, holding two bags of fabric, and dragged Elsa with her to another spot, sprouting exciting gossips and suggestions from the storekeeper on where they should go next. She didn't even get the chance to bid farewell. The only feature that she could fully remember from their encounter was his eyes, as green as the trees of a forest in blooming springtime, just like his daughter's.

Her thoughts were abruptly halted by the sound of marching feet.

A few meters ahead of her were three soldiers dressed in red uniform, striding out in front to keep watch and make way. Behind them were two men in deep conversation. One was a plump man wearing expensive silk robes while the other was a short, old man wearing glasses and blue formal clothing, a red sash running from his left shoulder to his right hip. From the rearguard there were three men posted as well; the center being guarded by a man posted at each side, wearing the same uniform only this time with white gloves. Their formation similar to that of a box, able to watch for trouble and easily managing to engage in defensive stance if needed, providing protection from all sides.

"Make way! Make way for the Duke!"

Elsa's blood ran cold as she saw the Duke of Weselton heading towards her path. She quickly turned her head to look for an escape route but it was no use, the street she was walking on was close to the castle, with the moat to her left and building on her right, leaving her only path to be forward. She inwardly cursed herself for being ignorant of her sense of direction.

Turning backwards would only cause suspicion so she tilted her head downwards while facing forward, desperately hoping to hide her face, but his attention was acutely focused on speaking with the eccentric man beside him.

She almost gave a sigh of relief when the group passed over, not even batting her an eye. She could hear mutterings of their conversation.

"... are you certain of this? I am not willing to risk my men for such falsifications!"

"I swear to you by my gods that I am not deceiving you."

"Hmph, your gods. Know that if I find out you were lying to me, I will send my bodyguards to collect your head!"

"The warning is noted, Your Grace," the silk man replied calmly, face showing no concern towards the Duke's threat. "If I may be able to quell your doubts, I can arrange a meeting with several of my contacts if you wish to hear of their accounts first hand."

"Never mind them," the Duke of Weselton said dismissively. "Your assurance is good enough for me, my lord."

The man bowed his head. "You are too kind, Your Grace."

"Now we may finally have the chance to gain an upper hand in this. The chance to spy at Arendelle is only a few leagues away!"

 _That_ certainly got her attention. She whipped her head sharply at the retreating entourage behind her. She can see that the two men were still conversing, though the words can't be heard of anymore.

Elsa was torn; on one hand she could simply ignore the Duke and enjoy her stay in his kingdom, never knowing that he had her right under his nose. She could deal with this problem later when she gets back to Arendelle. On the other hand... she was here in Weselton, with the Duke a few meters away from her spilling out his private talks as if it were matters about the weather. This could be her chance to learn more!

It's certainly a risk, getting caught would expose herself and Cassandra to everyone here in Weselton, ultimately causing a foreign incident that could prove deep consequences for her kingdom. She could try and escape, her ice powers have improved over the years and if she had to she will rain down a blizzard to cover their tracks. However, she had concerns. With the heat this far south she wasn't sure if she can manipulate snow that easily. His bodyguards were there with him armed with crossbows to their side. She shivered as she remembered how accurate of a shot they were, almost successful in killing her had it not been for Hans' interference. This time they might be able to subdue her or finish the job, with no escape routes for her to hide. And she'll be damned if she was going to let herself get captured by this weasel. No, if worse comes to worst, she'll warn Cassandra and buy her time to escape for as long as she can.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she weighed her options, the pros and cons whispering in her ears.

 _Please forgive me, Anna_.

Whispering those last words, she turned around and tried to discreetly mingle herself close to the growing crowd, her stomach clenching into a tight fist.


	7. Chapter 7

Elsa lasted far longer than she would have expected.

A respectable feat for someone who has never been keen to mingle with throngs of nobles during a ball and whose experience with stealth include sneaking around the castle halls from nosy servants with her sister.

She had followed them closely behind, mindful to keep her distance from the guards to avoid alluding herself of suspicion. The numerous market stalls provide great cover for her to hide from the guards' roaming glances. Occasionally she would pause by a stall to inspect its commodities, her peripheral vision barely keeping him out of her sight.

The Duke was enjoying himself, she observed. Head held high as he walked within his retinue of guards, trudging through the streets and people. Many bowed their heads to him, whether from fear or obligation, she did not know. He enjoyed it nonetheless. His glasses gleamed in the sunlight as he took in the ones who did and puffed chest forward, as if thinking it would make his ego much larger than it already is.

They stopped by a clothing vendor, with him and his companion entering the building followed by his bodyguards. _This is my chance_ , she thought, watching his other guardsmen as they stood guard outside the door, looking bored. Probably confident that there were no would-be attackers foolish enough to get to their liege in broad daylight. With their vigilance lowered Elsa moved slightly closer to them, standing in front of the building next to theirs and casually examining the objects that were on display behind the glass wall.

A few moments later the Duke came out with a smug look on his face, apparently satisfied with proceedings that happened inside. They continued on with Elsa following behind their trail.

She could see that they were talking again, not bothering to quiet himself down while they strolled in the public. She could make out faint words, the loud voices were still overshadowed by the mutterings of the increasing crowd. Elsa wanted to get closer but that would mean she had to risk being close to his bodyguard and might possibly expose her identity as well.

Steeling herself, she crept closer, head pointed downwards as she kept pace with the left side of the group.

"Tell me again. How did you come by with this information?"

"A contact of mine in the west informed me that there are lands that he sailed passed by near Arendelle that are yet to be inhabited. Far enough to be unrecognized but still close to gather intel on the fjord kingdom if needed."

"Hmm," the balding man mused, twirling his mustache. "If that is true then I must see these lands myself. I will not waste resources for this expedition if your man's tales are folly. See to it that you confirm these sightings."

"Of course, Your Grace." He paused for a moment. "If I may be so bold as to ask, why is it that you do not wish to simply apologize to the Snow Queen instead of continuing this pursuit?"

"Gah! Beg pardon to a monarch. I will do no such thing! It is degrading enough that I have to do it, especially to a single queen and her naive sister," he sneered. "There is also the matter that I do not trust her and her powers. Such abilities are an abomination! I'm surprised that there have been no riots yet chanting to overthrow her."

"Perhaps you may have misjudged her? Reports say that she is rather calm and demure with an unmatched beauty. Lords and princes from other kingdoms have been begging for her hand," his companion wondered aloud.

"I know what I saw, my lord. Her powers are unnatural. If she was able to freeze her entire kingdom in half a day, then what more if she suddenly decides to take arms and wage war on us? Precautions must me made. She must be biding her time, forming allies."

"And marriage," he scoffed, as if amused by the prospect. "Prince Hans attempted to woo the princess instead of her. Everyone knows that it's the throne that her suitors are after, not the queen herself. Well, not entirely. Once they are of union, he will slowly gain influence within their government and assume power. No one would ever marry her for love. And if she's not in the same line of thought as that then she is more foolish than her sister."

His words stung deeply, despite knowing that it was probably true. Elsa already resigned herself to the fact that she has to wed someone who may or may not like her to ensure a fruitful future for Arendelle, but hearing it being discussed by someone else with such contempt took a blow on her diffidence. There has to be someone among her suitors that would actually like her, right?

She tried to shake these uneasy thoughts as she trudged closer, hoping to grasp any more relevant information.

Suddenly, a gloved hand gripped her arm. She gasped, gaze instinctively looking up to the bearded bodyguard, whose eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Just _what_ do you think you're doing?"

She couldn't answer, fearful that her voice might give the disguise away. Instead she lowered her face, not able to look at him in the eye.

Realizing that the woman wasn't going to answer, he called for the Duke. "Your Grace! This woman was found snooping near our formation."

Elsa took a chance and tilted her head up slightly. She was met with the blue eyes of the Duke, who was looking at her in a mixture of annoyance and suspicion. Again she averted her eyes, hoping against hope that he didn't recognize her.

"I've been observing her for the past few minutes. From the looks of it she seems to be following us," the bodyguard told him.

The Duke listened to his man's words then squinted back to the woman. "Well?" he demanded curtly, "Is it true? Look up to your superiors properly if you wish to explain about your actions."

Reluctantly, she did as she was told. Her eyes met the twin pair of stares coming from the Duke and his bodyguard, both looking at her as if she were an irritating insect. She saw a mismatch of emotions plastered on their faces, suspicion and annoyance being the most noticeable. However, she was relieved to see that there was no spark of recognition in either of their eyes. Nonetheless, she kept her lips in a tight line and did not reply.

"Perhaps she's a mute?" one of the guards offered when she did not reply.

"Naw, can't be. I heard her made a sound when Marshal there grabbed her. Must be a shy one since she won't look at us." the man beside him replied.

"Still," he argued, "it's possible that she's a mute. Maybe she can't speak but that doesn't mean—"

"Quiet, both of you." Marshal barked, and they promptly kept their mouth shut.

After a passing silence the Duke gave a bout of impatience. "Enough of this. We are wasting time here questioning an unresponsive girl. Perhaps she's too stupid to even understand what I'm saying. Come, I have a schedule to finish. Release her, Marshal."

She bristled at being called stupid but remained tight-lipped. If that had been intentional in an attempt to rile her up into talking, then the Duke did not show his displeasure.

His bodyguard frowned. "But Your Grace," he started.

"Release her. Now. She is nothing more than a commoner minding something that clearly isn't her business. She is of no use to us. And if she were a spy then I uphold you in your oath to do your best duty in protecting me. Do I make myself clear?"

He hesitated for a moment then conceded with a bow. "As you say, Your Grace."

He started to release his grip on her when the silk-robed man suddenly spoke, "Can you wait just a moment, sir?"

All eyes immediately turned towards him as he approached Elsa and Marshal. He had been quiet throughout this whole ordeal so it was surprising that he suddenly joined in the conversation. The bodyguard gave the Duke a puzzled look, simultaneously asking for permission. He allowed it with a wave of his hand, though his expression possessed the same look of confusion as he watched his companion.

The way the man looked at her made Elsa's skin crawl. She was used to being stared at. Her platinum blonde hair and porcelain complexion uncommon to most men and women, and her position as queen normally compels her to be the center of attention. But the glint in his dark eyes as he scrutinized her from head to toe made her feel like she was being deconstructed piece by piece. It wasn't even a look of ardor that she'd notice some men gave her when they thought she wasn't looking. It was like how a watchmaker would analyze every wheel and screw by disassembling all its parts and stripping it bare, leaving no secret to be hidden.

This was it. She was certain that the Duke won't recognize her, but with this man's calculating gaze it'll take only minutes before he connects the dots and realize who he has in front of him. She has to flee _now_.

Her free arm shook slightly in anticipation as she clenched her fists. If she has to go then she'll relish the satisfaction of giving the bodyguard a piece of her mind before making her escape. Wisps of frost slowly swirled on her palms, coating her knuckles in a thin but dense layer of ice.

She was raising her hand to throw in a well-rounded punch when a pair of hand grabbed her raised arm.

"There you are!"

Her vision was momentarily blurred by a mop of brown hair, blocking her view from the prying eyes of the silk man.

"Please forgive my wife, milords," the man apologized nervously, head bowed down as a show of respect. "We're travelers here and it's her first time seeing a beautiful city such as yours. I'm really sorry for any trouble she's caused. She can get too curious at times."

Stunned, Elsa stood wide-eyed and was unable to form words; the frost in her hands slowly dissipating. The dark-eyed man gave a small frown at being interrupted, but before he could speak the Duke replied with a harrumph, "Well, if that's the case then you should keep a better eye on your lady, young man. Keep her on a leash if needed. Women and their unattainable need for gossip," he muttered under his breath. "Tell her to mind her own business next time or else there will be consequences. After all, it was simple curiosity that killed the cat."

She gritted her teeth at the implied insult, resisting the urge to freeze him on the spot. As if sensing her vexation, the man gave her arm a comforting squeeze, coaxing her to calm down. She got the message and visibly relaxed, taking deep breaths through her nose and scowling at the ground instead.

"Of course, my lord. And... thank you for letting us go."

"The proper term is 'Your Grace'," the Duke corrected. "Carry on then. What are you all looking at? Return to your stations and be vigilant this time! I don't want anymore people snooping near us." he ordered to his guards, who hurriedly spurred into action. "Come, Lord Varen, let us continue this talk in a more _private_ setting."

The man looked dissatisfied but quickly masked it with a polite smile, his lips curving upwards under the well-trimmed beard. "Of, course," he said. "A good day to you, sir and madam." He nodded to them then followed the Duke.

Elsa kept her eyes on them until they were well out of her sight, her anger dissipating into somewhat of worry. _What are they planning? Uninhabited islands near Arendelle?_ She'll have to consult her general about this and have a look at a map of the kingdom's surrounding area. Her confrontation with the Duke was too much of a close call, nearly exposing herself to him and risking the safety of her companion. She made a mental note to stay away from the castle and avoid having meetings with the guards and nobility of this city.

The Duke's companion was a person of interest. He was no ordinary lordling if his clothing says otherwise. At first he appeared to be one of those advisers who agrees to everything his ruler says, whose goal was to appease his wants and ignore the needs while they plot behind his back. But their brief eye contact told her enough to claim that her speculation was false. He was also the closest to deduce her identity which makes him even more dangerous. She needs to keep an eye out on him as well.

"Hey, are you alright?" a nasally toned voice shook her out of her thoughts.

She looks up to the concerned frown of the man who helped her. Her mind suddenly clicks in as she finally realized who this man was. She noticed that he was still holding her arm, his rough but, surprisingly, gentle fingers wrapped around her forearm. He notices this as well and lets go, leaving her strangely disappointed.

"Yes-Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for asking... sir," she finished lamely, unsure how to address him, still feeling slightly unnerved by the whole thing.

He gives her a sheepish smile, rubbing a hand up the back of his neck. "It's no problem, really. And my name's Hiccup."

 **000**

They sat at a table near the back of the inn as they ordered their drinks.

Elsa managed to convince him to let her buy him a meal, despite his repeated protests that she didn't need to thank him in such a way. But Elsa was nothing if not insistent, or stubborn. After much pestering he finally relented and compromised that a drink would suffice.

She was stirring her cup of hot chocolate as she watched him take an experimental sip of his coffee, mindful of its still warm contents.

"So... your name is Hiccup?" she asked, wanting to make sure she didn't misinterpret his words.

He winced, whether or not from the question or the taste of the drink she wasn't sure. "Yeah, that's right," he affirmed, lowering his mug. "I know, not the greatest of names but it's sort of tradition from where I come from."

He paused, as if waiting for a reaction. Was he expecting her to laugh or comment at his name?

"It's an... interesting name, that's for sure." Elsa said, raising a brow, smiling.

Hiccup shrugged his shoulders, "Trust me, I've heard worse. Though it's refreshing to meet someone who's not laughing whenever I introduce myself."

"I think it's unique," Elsa argued. "I'm Edina, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Edina."

"Likewise, Hiccup."

There was an awkward silence, with neither knowing how to continue the conversation.

Elsa decided to break the ice, "Listen, I'd like to extend my thanks for helping me out in that situation with the Duke. If you hadn't interfered I'm not sure what could've happened." She's lying, of course. She knew _exactly_ what could have happened if the brunette hadn't been there to ease things down.

Hiccup merely shrugged in response. "Like I said, it's no problem. You looked like you needed help and I thought I'd lend a hand before things got ugly. And besides," he said, giving her a crooked smile. "Just think of it as my way of thanks for taking care of Nora the other day. Now we're even."

She smiled at that, unable to argue with the logic.

As he took another sip of his coffee, Elsa leaned a bit to study him more closely. He wore a simple red tunic under a leather vest. His hair was an untamed mane of brown, reaching slightly past his neck. A far cry from the slick, perfectly styled hair she was prone to seeing on sophisticated lords and princes, though a refreshing sight for her. Over the nape of his right shoulder were small braids which she found unusual for a man. Her sister had tried many times to convince Kristoff to let her braid his hair, but he always refused, claiming that it looked 'girlish' on him. She wondered if a woman did that for him.

He has a light dust of freckles on his cheeks and a slightly large nose. His jaw was covered in a reddish-brown stubble that hid most of his lower face from scrutiny. Under his thick eyebrows were emerald orbs that reflected back a vivid memory of pine trees. There was a small scar running from his right eye to just above his red cheek.

Wait, red cheeks?

She quickly glanced up and saw that he was looking anywhere but her, his face flushed in a thin shade of red. Elsa cursed herself for her lack of tact. Here she was, supposedly treating someone who helped her out for a drink and now she was openly caught staring at him. _How polite of you, Elsa_ , she reproached herself sarcastically.

The uncomfortable silence lapsed on, with neither one able to look at each other in the eye without flushing. Elsa decided that she should at least take the initiative to break the tension between them, seeing as she started this in the first place, but how? Anna was usually good at this without even trying, dropping awkward yet jocular lines at random intervals to make a situation seem lighter. And Elsa has never been one spurt out witty jokes, if she even knows any.

Suddenly, she came up with an idea. It could potentially end up making things worse but she had to try, as the silence was becoming slightly unbearable.

"So, Hiccup," she started, earning a sideways glance from him. "You fancied me as your wife, did you?"

For a moment he didn't respond, she could see the gears turning in his head as he processed her words. Then his eyes widened.

"W-Wait, _what_?" he gaped at her, dumbfounded, and Elsa had to stifle her laugh. "I-I mean, yeah, I did, but what about it?"

She tilted her head, "It just seems a bit strange that of all the things that you could have used to cover for me, you chose the spouse angle."

"Er, well, yeah, but I didn't think you'd mind that. A-And to be fair it was the only excuse I could come up with at the time!" He defended himself.

"Hmm, I suppose that's true," she mused, tapping her chin with her forefinger. Then she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand and blinking innocently at him. "Or perhaps there is another reason."

Hiccup gulped, shifting in his seat. "Another reason?" he echoed nervously.

It took all her queenly training to maintain that composure on her face. "Tell me Hiccup, do you find me attractive?" she asked lightly, hoping that he wouldn't take this the wrong way.

He stared at her, mouth moving, trying to say something, but unable to form the words like a beached fish.

"Tha-That's not—" he sputtered out. "I mean—No! That's not it!"

"So you don't think I'm attractive?" she said, feigning hurt.

"What? No! you're not—I didn't mean—you are!" Hiccup protested, feeling overwhelmed. "You're gorgeous! It's just that—oh gods."

Elsa couldn't take it anymore. His reaction was just _too_ priceless. She bursted out laughing, peals of laughter escaping her lips and landing right on his astonished face.

Hiccup immediately realized what had just transpired.

"Oh my gods," he groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I can't _believe_ I fell for that!"

Elsa tried to contain her giggles, "I-I'm sorry, it's just that... your face!" she breathed out before putting a hand over her mouth, ignoring the stares being directed towards them.

"Yeah, note to self: Ignore the next person who looks in need of help or suffer the consequences of being embarrassed like Hel." Hiccup muttered dryly.

But despite his grumbled mortification, the twitch of his lips told her that he could see the humor of it all.

After regaining herself, Elsa finally apologized properly. "Sorry about that. It was impolite of me to stare and I've completely ruined our drinking session. I thought a bit of humor was needed." she explained sheepishly.

Hiccup shook his head slowly. "If that's just a glimpse of your funny side then I can only imagine what'd it be like if you go all out," he joked, reaching for the pot to refill his mug. "You're right about one thing though," she raised an eyebrow at that, "I am _never_ going drinking with you, never again."

They both shared a good-natured laugh at that, conversation easing back in to lighthearted regions.

"So, what's with you and the old man back there? He looked a bit prickly," Hiccup commented.

Elsa pursed her lips as she drank from her cup, thinking of a reply. "We've... met on an occasion before," she answered. Spotting his look of interest, she elaborated further, "It was at a ball, he requested for a dance but I... sort of rejected him. He doesn't seem to remember me though." She quickly added.

"Hmm, somehow I find that hard to believe," he looked contemplative, taking a sip of the bitter drink. "You're not an easy person to forget, Edina."

Elsa felt herself blush uncharacteristically at his compliment. "T-Thanks," she let out softly.

Hiccup hummed in response, still in deep thought and seemingly oblivious to the effect his words had on her.

Suddenly, his face lit up. "Hey, d'you think I can convince the innkeeper to trade me a few handfuls of this?" he gestured to the coffee pot on the table. "The taste is really getting to me!" He exclaimed eagerly.

Elsa chuckled inwardly, shaking her head as she answered his question and followed up with inquiries of her own. All the while wondering why she's able to converse so easily with this man.

* * *

 **A/N: Hiccup and Elsa's second unofficial meeting. What could the Duke be planning and who is his companion? What do you guys think?**

 **I'm actually surprised that most Frozen/crossover fics don't use the Evil!Elsa character that much. She has a lot of story potential and could prove to be quite the adversary for Elsa.**

 **Sadly, this is going to be the last chapter I'll be posting in a while. With college coming up in a week I'm not gonna be able to write as often as I did during the summer. Studying is going to be a pain. I'll try my best to upload chapters as frequent as I can. I'm also afraid that I made them OOC in this chapter. Humor isn't my strongest suit.**

 **Thank you guys for reading this story, I didn't really think that many would like it. Again I like to point out that reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated. It kinda helps with my self-esteem in writing since I'm a novice at it and I'm curious to hear your opinions on this. I don't mind any suggestions as well on where to move the story forward and am open to ideas even though I already have one roughly planned.**

 **Until then, see you guys in the next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

"When is your lady friend going to arrive?" Eret asked impatiently. "We've been standing out here for an hour already. We're missing all the fun!" He exclaimed, glancing longingly at the gales of laughter and merriment of several people behind him.

"Just wait for a while longer, Eret. She said she'll be here," Hiccup stressed out for the umpteenth time, though he himself is feeling edgy and tired.

They were standing by in one of the four entrances located at each side of the town square. The square itself was repurposed by the Duke to fit numerous stalls that held food, accessories, and entertainment for the visiting crowd. Peculiar equipment had been laid out in specific parts of the field, attracting the attention of several bystanders to participate in its demonstrations. The food stalls were located at the north side, tables and benches laid out underneath the evening sky, filled with hearty people drinking their guts out.

There had been a parade in the streets that started about an hour ago. Their strange clothing, masks, and gestures they made peaked Hiccup's interest for a bit, but wavered when he realized they were connected to the town's practices which he is not familiar with. Another reason he avoided them was the deafening cheer of the crowd when the procession started moving. Needless to say, he had to recheck eardrums thrice before leaving the area to make sure that his hearing hadn't left him.

Most of the townspeople were still participating in the ongoing parade, leaving the square plentiful space for incoming visitors. The Vikings were waiting in the western entrance, the drums and music of the parade a faint booming in the distance.

"Fine, fine. But while we're on the subject, I still think you're bluffing about her," Eret expressed, his eyes narrowing.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Oh boy, here we go again..."

"I'm just saying," the tattooed man drawled out. "What are the chances of you meeting the same person twice on two different situations? Doesn't it look a bit odd to you?"

Hiccup shrugged. "That's hardly strange, it's a small world even out here. And besides, weren't you the one who said that I'll 'probably meet her again soon' in the first place?" He pointed out with a raised brow.

"Well, yeah, but I meant it as a joke, I never said that it would actually happen. From the size of this place I'd be lucky to meet the same carpenter who fixed my ship when I first docked here years ago." He shook his head. "I _still_ can't believe you gave her your real name. Seriously, that's like the cardinal rule in remaining inconspicuous! It's a miracle she didn't react that much."

At that statement Hiccup had the grace to look embarrassed, turning away from Eret to hide his flushed face. If he was honest with himself, he didn't originally intend on introducing himself to Edina using his real name. It was more of a... slip of the tongue type of situation. By this point in time he was already used to meeting various types of people that it was almost ingrained in his mind as an automatic response when introductions are initiated. Eret's warning slipped his mind up until they were sitting around a table when it belatedly returned to slap him in the face.

Edina's response was surprisingly reserved. His suspicions of the raven-haired lady were proven correct; she is in fact nobility, whether or not from this city or somewhere else he wasn't sure. He supposed that it probably leaned more towards the latter, she looked addled as much he did when they navigated to find an inn, though she hid it well under a mask of calm. Despite their lengthy conversation, he only learned little about her.

He could definitely picture her as a noblewoman of these lands, not that he'd seen enough to warrant a proper comparison, but he imagined that they would have the same ambience he noticed from her during their first meeting. She was assertive, insistent, and overall an amiable person to be around with. Her sense of humor is certainly something, to say the least. He made a mental note to get her back on that trick from earlier. No way in _Hel_ is she walking over that without having a taste of his Hiccup-flaired schemes. Maybe he should start praying to Loki to gather some insight...

"... oh sure, 'Hiccup' is a reasonably acceptable name but when I introduce myself as 'Eret' the man freaks out? I mean _come on_ , where's the logic in that? My name sounds infinitely less stranger than yours! Why'd I get into an argument with a bludgeon-carrying bartender while you got to have decent morning with a lady. Completely unfair." Eret grumbled childishly.

Hiccup was about to reply back when Nora, who was sitting atop his shoulders, exclaimed excitedly. "Look dad, there she is! She's walking straight to us! And she has a friend with her." She shaded her eyes with her hand, hoping to see them more closely.

He turned to the direction where she was pointing at and saw the two women coming out of a narrow alley, taking in their surroundings cautiously. Once Edina spotted him, she gave a barely repressed, relieved sigh. Taking her companion's hand, she lead the way towards the trio.

"Sorry we're late," she immediately announced once they were of speaking distance. "We had trouble making our way through here and almost lost ourselves within the parade. I hope we didn't keep you waiting for too long." she apologized, worried that their tardiness might have ruined the whole night.

"No, no, it's alright. You made it just in time, actually." Hiccup gave her a reassuring smile, his weariness momentarily forgotten.

Edina raised a brow but didn't comment. Instead, she turned to the redhead beside her. "Cassandra, this is _Henrik_ , the person who I was telling you about. His daughter, Nora, and his friend, John."

"Hey," Hiccup greeted, waving his hand awkwardly.

Eret, whose string of complaints briefly halted at the sight of the two women, suddenly came forward with a grin and reached for Edina's hand, bringing it to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

"Greetings, my lady. The name's John Snow. It is a pleasure to finally meet you," he said charmingly.

There was a sudden twinge that started coiling up in his chest as he witnessed the exchange, faintly familiar. Hiccup frowns at it, trying to discern what it was, but by then it already disappeared. He shrugs mentally, dismissing it as some sort of weird happening. He was silently amused at the display Eret was making. Leave it to him to immediately make an impression of himself, especially when it concerns the opinion of an attractive woman.

Edina looked confused for a moment before raising both her eyebrows in comprehension, the thin strands of hair almost reaching the top of her forehead. She gives him a polite smile in return, accepting the gesture though not looking thoroughly interested at his advances.

Her companion, however, had the more desiring reaction. Receiving the same greeting as she did, Cassandra blushed profusely and sputtered out her name in response. Eret's grin grew wider as he offered her his arm, which she shyly placed her own over his. He then lead the flustered girl into the town square festivities without so much as another word, leaving behind a bemused girl and two chuckling adults.

"What just happened?" Nora spoke aloud, confusion lacing her voice as she asked the question that was hanging from all their minds.

"That," Edina said after composing herself, "Is a very good question."

"Maybe we should follow them just in case Eret gets themselves into trouble." Hiccup suggested languidly. Turning to her, he cleared his throat nervously. "Er, I hope you don't mind me skipping through _that_ stage of welcoming. I'm not sure if I could understand his meaning of 'suave' even if I tried."

"Hmm," she pretended to think. "Normally it is a break in protocol for a man to refuse accompanying a lady in such a manner, but I suppose regarding our current situation I'll let it pass by. Besides, it seems like you have your hands full." Glancing up at the sitting blonde above him, she corrected herself. "Or rather, your shoulders are."

Hiccup gives her a deadpan look, "Well, when you put it that way..." Nonetheless, he stood close to her as they made their way past the entrance, trying to find the couple while Nora played with his hair.

Unbeknownst to the group, a hidden figure studied them from a distance, taking notice of their interaction as they walked through the maze of carnival attractions.

 _An interesting pair indeed._

 **000**

After spotting the pair at a food stand where Cassandra was trying to convince Eret to try an apple-on-a-stick treat covered in a sticky fluid that reminded Hiccup of a Death Song's spit, which made him glance at the delicacy in apprehension, the group set out to enjoy the carnival's attractions.

First of these attractions they visited was the strength tester, which consisted of striking a wooden mallet on a pad to ring the bell on top of the vertical track. Hiccup tried and failed to get the puck past the third marking, much to his embarrassment, while Eret managed to strike the bell, giving the prized stuffed animal to a blushing Cassandra.

Next, they all participated in the crossbow target shooting. Which made use of short limbed, low-powered crossbows and darts instead of iron-tipped bolts. The goal was to shoot as many of the round-shaped targets as possible, which were separated by varying ranges. Several targets were placed just below the ceiling, hanged by strings, offering a more challenging target as it kept swaying around. Nora had to be given a shooting bench to aid her in her aiming, seeing as she was still too short.

A few miscalculated shots and witty insults exchanged later, Hiccup managed to win two rounds. It had to be said that the yelps gathered from Nora's constant misses redirecting itself to the plump stall keeper's bum kept the flow of laughter going. Attaining the chance of two prizes, he gave the overly sized, stuffed bear to a cheering Nora, who was unabashed at her poor shooting skills, and a horned, orange-purple dragon to Edina. Had Hiccup been paying close attention, he would have noticed the faint pink hue residing on her cheeks when he gave her the stuffed animal.

The ladies then announced that they wanted to try a more relaxing challenge and dragged them to the ring toss. After that they went to this and that, and the explorations continued further into the night. Hiccup was surprised to admit that he thoroughly enjoying himself throughout the evening. Spending time with his family and new found friends certainly helped in bringing merriment to this jaunt.

The group now found themselves tired and parched after a long night and opted to take a rest. Sitting by the benches near the food stands, they made idle conversation as they wait for their ordered meal.

"So, where is it that you come from again?" Cassandra inquired after Eret volunteered to check on their order.

"Well, it's nothing much, just a small village actually. Far up north. We're a pretty isolated bunch."

"Oh. Is it nice out there? I'm not too familiar with the countryside."

"It's... sturdy enough, I guess. Mostly filled with rock formations and trees. It's been there for several generations now though most of our buildings are new. For some, the weather is kind of a draw back. It snows nine months of the year and hails in the other three." Hiccup explained.

At the mention of snow, Edina perked up in interest. "Really? I'm not sure if I've heard of a place like that before. One that is currently inhabited that is."

"Like I said, the place isn't really well-known and the population is rather small as well. Almost anyone knows everyone who's in the village. Despite the occasional winter storms, it's still a place I'd like to call home." he finished, choosing wisely to withdraw the inclusion of the former "pests". He's pretty sure that conversation regarding dragons isn't the norm around these parts.

"Why stay around when winter is apparently a problem? I can't imagine it would be easy to live in such a state all year round." Edina prompted curiously, knowing all too well the effects of excessive winter.

Hiccup shrugged and gave a wry grin. "What can I say? In addition to our ever growing personality we're also pretty stubborn. To a point where the likelihood of freezing to death isn't going stop us from carrying out a morning jog. In a way you could say that the cold never bothered us. Anyway, living there all your life is probably a good reason to feel attached to the place. I know I am." he sighed nostalgically, as if reminiscing a pleasant memory.

Edina's mind froze halfway through his speech, though no one seemed to notice. The familiar line rang through her head, zoning her out of the conversation.

"The bolder ones among us like to call themselves the 'Sons of Snow', which is pretty ridiculous." Hiccup continued on with a frown. "We may be used to the cold but that title makes it sound like we actually inherited some sort of control over the element. Like shooting out ice with just a swipe of a hand as if it were old magic. Everybody knows that's impossible."

"Oh I don't know," Cassandra said, flashing her female companion a conspiratorial smirk. "There are a couple of rumors out there that might just challenge those beliefs. You never know with the people you meet, right, Edina?"

The raven-haired woman looked as if she just broke off from a daze, blinking owlishly. It wasn't until the underlying meaning of her words settled in that Edina's lips curled up slightly, distracting her from whatever event that made her mind pause. "I suppose so. All it needs is a keen observation from one to find the tree hidden in the forest. Though I believe _irony_ is a word that I would use to embody this current discussion," she answered vaguely, shooting the redhead a knowing look that made the girl burst into a fit of giggles.

Hiccup looked back and forth between the two, eyebrows furrowed with confusion evident on his face as he tried to figure out what they were going on about. Finally he relented to defeat, ultimately deciding that spending five years closely living with female Vikings still didn't help an inkling in fully understanding women. He was beginning to think he never will.

Just before he could voice out his thoughts, Eret came back with their meal on track. Any thoughts on continuing the conversation were wholeheartedly forgotten as the spiced aroma of freshly cooked food permeated the air, making their mouths water in anticipation. They immediately dug in, not wasting any time in talking as they consumed plate after plate.

Hiccup, who sitting in between Edina and Nora, leaned slightly to the former, trying to be casual.

"Hey, Edina?"

"Hmm?"

"You're not, um, you know, still mad about not telling Cassandra?" he whispered, glancing at the others to make sure they didn't notice the exchange.

Edina paused in her meal, chewing thoughtfully as she considered her answer. There had been one topic during their conversation over at the inn that slightly turned sour. He had asked if she could not reveal to Cassandra about his real name, which she immediately refused, finding the request rather odd and unwilling to lie to her friend. They both argued to a point where a silent stand off had been made with neither stubborn head budging. Eventually it ended with Edina reluctantly agreeing to his pleas, albeit begrudgingly. He wasn't even sure if she would follow through with their earlier rendezvous outside the carnival grounds after that incident.

"It wouldn't matter now, I guess." She finally said after swallowing. "I hadn't even thought about it this whole time until you brought it up, which speaks louder than what I have to say. In a way... I can sort of understand. Relate even. I have no doubt you would have reacted the same had the roles been reversed. My reaction was uncalled for."

"No, no, it was only natural. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have come to you for such a thing anyway. I'm just glad you were honest about it," he said nonchalantly. For just a moment, the barest flicker of guilt flashed across her face before retaining back to her normal expression. He isn't sure on what to make of that.

"So, we're good then?" Edina asked, offering a faint smile.

Hiccup nodded his head a few times. "Yeah, yeah, we're good."

Halfway through the meal Nora suddenly piped up, wanting to try out a ride that she noticed earlier. She pleaded with her dad, using her wide-eyed face in a slyly adorable manner that Hiccup normally couldn't refuse. He blamed it entirely on her mother for teaching her that skill to use it to her advantage at any given situation.

But this time he hesitated, not because he wanted to refuse her, oh no. Far from it in reality. Being short as she was, Nora would have been bumping into the forest of legs and bodies had she deigned to walked beside them all throughout the night. Instead she enjoyed her comfortable position atop her father's shoulders as she acted as a lookout, as Eret jokingly suggested, for the group. Sadly, much could not be said for Hiccup as he carried his little girl across his shoulders.

She was by no means heavy, even for Hiccup, but eventually fatigue had begun to settle, combined with his protesting leg muscles and slightly aching back. When one of them suggested they head to the cuisine section, Hiccup treated it as if it were an oasis in the sun-kissed desert. Now, having been refueled with food and a wooden bench to sit on, the tiredness began to creep in as he was beginning to feel the gentle temptations of respite.

For a couple of moments Hiccup felt awkward, not knowing what to say. He wanted to join her but it seems like his body doesn't agree with his mind's insistence. He also wasn't wholly accustomed to refusing his daughter's requests, especially something as innocuous as this. Thankfully, someone took notice of his uncomfortable stance and decided to intervene.

"I could accompany you if you would have me, Nora." Edina spoke up, instantly grabbing the attention of said girl.

Hiccup looked surprised as she posed the suggestion. "Are you sure, Edina? I won't force you into doing it if you really don't want to." Although he did not show it, he could almost feel himself sigh in relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing. Still, he didn't want Edina to think that she felt obligated to spend time with her if he couldn't.

"I don't mind. No, really," she said, seeing his doubtful look. "I'm curious to see what has gotten her so excited about. It also gives me more time to spend with her, which is always a pleasure." Edina elaborated as she smiled down at the child.

"I could do it if you want," Eret offered belatedly, holding a chicken leg in one hand. "Just after I try this new gravy that cook was blabbering about..."

Ignoring Eret's failed attempt to distance himself from the food and making Cassandra giggle, the redhead had relaxed considerably after spending more time in their company, Hiccup leaned down towards his daughter. "Are you okay with this, Nora? Daddy's kinda sore from walking around a lot so I hope you don't mind this old timer sitting around for a while longer. If you really want to, then we can go. Sore legs be damned."

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nah, it's okay, daddy. You can go rest now. I want to spend more time with Edina."

"The little lady has spoken," Hiccup quipped lightly, earning an indignant 'hey!' that made him smile. Switching his gaze to Edina, his face turned serious and spoke in a hushed tone. "Take care of her, will you? She can be a bit much at times but she's all I got now." he said, staring straight at her eyes, a deep blue of topaz.

She was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor. That lasted a second, however, as her back straightened and held his firm gaze with a cool one of her own, no lacking in sincerity.

"You have my word," she nodded. "Try not to exert yourself too much. From what you've told me earlier, this is supposed to be a vacation for you." she chided lightly, the gesture reminding him a bit of his mother.

Hiccup looked sheepish, but couldn't stop himself from getting the last word. "I could say the same for you," he said tartly. Then he started shooing both of them off with a playful wave of his hand, "Now, go on, get out of my sight before I change my mind."

Edina arched a brow at being dismissed, then turned to follow the blonde girl who was already halfway across the field and calling for her to catch up.

 **000**

"He's not moving like I want him to."

"All it needs is a little patience and skill, with some encouragement too," Edina muttered that last part to herself.

They were situated around a large, wooden fenced pen. Round in shape as it covered almost half a field. Apparently, the ride that Nora was referring to earlier was a rather well-occupied horse pen, carefully located under a canvas tent where the weather won't be a bother. A portion of the tent had been furled up so that riders have access to experience the open air while sitting atop their mounts.

Around the two were several riders as well as children that were allowed by their parents to ride the shaggy mounts for a minimum price. Stall helpers assisted the ones who have little experience in riding a horse, hoping to avoid a violent incident in which man or animal injured each other.

The current problem they encountered was that Nora's mount, a small shaggy-looking pony, doesn't seem to heed to its rider's goading, instead opting to ignore and swishing its tail as it ate more grass.

Edina managed to hide a smile as the blonde Viking again attempted to use her reigns one more time to get the horse to move, or gather any reaction. She failed to do so.

"Maybe you're just forgetting something, the technique seems to be alright," Edina said, trying the cheer her up at sight of the crestfallen look that appeared on her face. Sitting calmly atop her own brown and white spotted mount, the disguised Snow Queen seemed to be having no trouble with her horse.

"But I tried everything!" Nora complained, frowning down at the animal as if trying to examine it. "Maybe I should start poking the stomach or back?"

"Maybe, we should recheck one more time," Edina offered, trying to recall any instructions that were given to her years ago when she first started horseback riding.

After several minutes of testing, it was discovered that Nora's legs were too short for her to reach nudging the pony's side with her toe and that the young animal was craving for an apple. With the problem noted and a solution worked out, which involved a stall assistant noticing their predicament and tying the pony to Edina's mount, they were well on their way.

"I miss daddy," Nora blurted out.

Edina looked up, surprised at the sudden talk. "Oh, do you want to go back then? It's not too late, we can still—"

"No, not that, I mean," Nora frowned, trying to plot out her words specifically. "I haven't seen daddy smile this much in a long time."

"Really?" Edina didn't get the impression of Hiccup as a very serious man, with his occasional jokes and dry wit. She did consent to the fact that he was acting serious at their last conversation, but then he quickly changed to being lighthearted. But picturing as a somber and imposing figure? It was hard for her to take in. _Then again,_ he _also seemed like he was trying to help when he first met you, and in the end it almost cost you your life._

"Yeah," Nora looked down, her face unseen by Edina, her voice becoming softer. "I didn't see him a lot ever since mommy died."

Edina sucked in a breath, her previous thoughts of deceit completely vanishing in light of this revelation. _Her mother recently passed away?_ She thought, horrified. Even her own parents demise didn't happen until she reached her teen years. To experience it at such a young age... Edina couldn't even imagine at what Nora was feeling.

She was even more surprised at how Nora bluntly stated out the fact, though she could hear the faint tremor in her voice as she said those words. At that moment, Edina wanted to hug the girl, provide comfort and share with her how much she understands. The pain of losing a parental figure and being left alone. It was a feeling unlike any other. But she knows she couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to.

"I... I'm sorry... I didn't know," she said instead, inwardly cringing at her feeble response. "I understand the feeling. I'm sorry you had to experience it." She offered her condolences, gently putting a hand on her shoulder and rubbing it. Nora seemed to lean towards the comforting gesture.

"Daddy... dad... didn't really go out a lot after that. He even shut out Toothless for a while," Nora let out, not even thinking of the words she's saying.

Thankfully, Edina didn't notice, her mind too focused on the somber mood to even register the strange name. She chose to remain silent, her thoughts slowly swaying towards Hiccup, having a faint idea as to why he shutted himself in.

"You seem to talk to daddy a lot," Nora pointed out, her eyes suddenly glinting as if she just had an idea. "Maybe you could make him happy and smile when I'm not around. Yeah, that'll work!" she nodded to herself, raising her fist triumphantly.

Startled, Edina sputtered out words. "Wait. Hold on, I didn't—"

"Yeah, just think about it!" she continued on excitedly, gesturing with her hands. "He's always smiling when I'm around but I don't usually understand the adult stuff they're talking about. But with you he acts all like before when he was with mom, and you can talk to him about grown-up things and become friends. It's perfect!"

"Well—Yes, I suppose so, but—" Edina tried to protest.

"Please, Edina?" Nora pleaded softly, her eyes widening into giant green orbs and her bottom lip jutting out into a full-fledged pout. All of the dark-haired woman's rehearsed protests died in her throat as she hesitated at the look of vulnerability on her face. After a lengthy debate with her inner self she finally sighed, giving an almost imperceptible nod in reply. Not even her sister managed to persuade her like this, and she was well versed with her puppy dog looks.

Immediately, Nora's face brightened. Despite herself, Edina couldn't help but smile at the slyness of the little girl and her good intentions. She can already tell that she's going to be quite the woman someday.

"Really? Thank you! Thank you, Edina!" Nora exclaimed prolifically, hugging the woman's torso from her position in the saddle of her pony.

Edina gave an unladylike squawk as she felt a pair of short arms tightening around her waist, nearly pulling her out of her saddle. Keeping her horse steady with one hand, she used the other arm to wrap around the girl's back, pulling her lightly into a hug. Edina felt her heart swell at this warm feeling igniting inside her. Absently, she wondered if this is what it felt like to have a daughter.

After releasing herself from the warm hug, Nora looked to be hesitant at something. Then abruptly she leaned forward and punched Edina in the arm. It didn't actually hurt, but Edina could not fathom as to why she did it in the first place. Rubbing the spot where her fist connected, she tilted her head and frowned at the girl beside her.

"Ow. What was that for?" she asked, more bewildered than angry.

Nora shrugged, unabashed. "I usually see mom do that to dad. He said it's her way of saying 'thank you' and being all cuddly with him. While mom said that it's communication."

Unsure how to respond, Edina merely raised another inquisitive brow, filing this recent discovery away for future reference before muttering, "Well, that's _certainly_ interesting."

As they continued round another ride around the wooden pen, she couldn't help but think at how their family dynamic is a lot stranger than her and Anna's, if not by an inch mark. Well, at least they didn't have a talking snowman to share the oddity of the situation.

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 **A/N: Oh Nora, just where did you inherit that from? And does anyone find it odd that Berk is supposed to be described as a frosty region, when we've only seen ice and snow 3 times throughout the whole tv series and movies?**

 **Damn, has it been a month already? Time sure flies. Hey guys, I just wanted to confirm that I am not abandoning this story. I actually planned on posting this chapter a few weeks earlier, but studies got in the way. So here you go. It's kinda sloppy compared to the last one but I hope I did fine enough that you'll enjoy it.** **I can't promise when the next chapter will be but don't worry, it won't be too long.**

 **Thanks again for the reviews and criticisms. I've probably received the most number I've ever had in my last chapter so thanks a lot! I don't mind any constructive criticism, I want to hear your guys views and whatever you have to say. And it helps, in terms of confidence. Also, thank you for reading this fanfic, it really means a lot to me.**

 **Also, I added a familiar video game dragon in this chapter, wonder if any of you old gamers out there noticed it. PS1 memories.**

 **Until again, see you guys soon in the next chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, wow, this update took far longer than it should have been. Sorry guys, I've been catching up with my grades in college and I'm busier now than I was before. I need to maintain some of my grades and improve others so yeah I'm going to be a lot busy until Christmas. This is my longest weekend vacation so far which is why I got the chance to finish this chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it. Please leave a review and feedback, they get to relieve the stress sometimes, believe me. Back to studying for me so wish me luck!**

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When Elsa first began considering the idea of visiting Weselton in secret she had a few goals in mind: to take a break from her queenly duties and possibly mollify that nagging curiosity in her mind that always seemed to disturb her when she is at her most contented. Maybe she would even visit the carnival that Anna repeatedly mentioned to get a bit of personal fun out of her system and observe the foreign sightings in the shoes of a lady commoner. To sit back and enjoy for a change and be part of the crowd rather than the one governing it.

The process of how she was going to actually proceed with the plan aside, she _never c_ ould have imagined that she would be spending most of her time there with a peculiar group of strangers that she unintentionally brought herself to cross paths with.

Really, it's almost disconcerting at how quickly she grew comfortable with the group after only a few short days of spending time together.

At one point she realized that she hasn't been spending much time with Cassandra and proceeded to apologize for her ignorance, slightly guilty for forgetting her redheaded companion.

But Cassandra merely brushed off her apology. "It's alright, miss Elsa!" she whispered with a laugh. "You're not the only one here who's enjoying her time in their company. Though I could be a bit biased regarding whose companionship I enjoy out of them the most." Cassandra confided to her with a cheeky grin.

While the tattooed man was indeed charming (and handsome, Elsa had to admit) she couldn't help but be concerned on how he'll treat Cassandra. In the short time she's had with her sister's handmaiden, she noticed that under her sunny and friendly nature, Cassandra was quite a sensitive person. Elsa was afraid that others might capitalize on that and she vowed herself that she would prevent it from happening. However, John seems to be treating Cassandra like a proper gentleman should despite his rather cocky remarks at times. Cassandra in turn has had a content look on her face whenever they would get together, and with that Elsa concerns were appeased, at least for the moment.

Their frequent gatherings usually lead the couple to branch out on their own business, leaving Elsa to spend hers with Hiccup and his daughter. Not that she has any complaints with her current arrangements. On the contrary, her time with the two is quickly ranking to be some of the best she'd ever had next to her memories with Anna.

Elsa did not forget about the conversation she had with Nora that night in the carnival, nor the promise the little blonde made her do. Though she did promise her that she would spend time with Hiccup, she decided that she would do it in her own terms. She didn't want to treat it as if it were an obligation, thinking rather it would be more congenial if it came out naturally instead of being forced.

Which led to her current situation with she and Hiccup strolling aimlessly around the city grounds.

Cassandra was determined to buy a new set of clothing for them that day after discovering that Nora's current wardrobe consisted only of long-sleeved shirts, vests and a skirt. Scandalized by the lack of dresses in her person, she dragged the blonde and a bemused John Snow with her to the markets for shopping, cheerily waving at Elsa and Hiccup off to enjoy their day.

"Okay, not gonna lie to you, but I think your friend is starting to scare me." Hiccup finally spoke, moments after staring at Cassandra drag his daughter and the ex-dragon trapper around as if they were a sack of potatoes.

Elsa simply nodded silently in assent.

They were now wandering past the docks; the scent of salt permeating the air and hints of tar and rope encompassing the docked ships. A forest of mast and sails covered the serene blue waters of the bay, low-lying seagulls making their homes across the wooden yardarms, and the irregular happenstance of a poor sailor receiving the gift of a constipating bird. Over at the other side of the bay lay afloat the heavy frigates of Weselton navy, its royal ensign flapping atop the tallest mast, red and blue cloth distinct even amongst the buoyant woodwork.

With the docks being the city's mainstay of trade and income goods, as well as a capable defensive line against smuggling pirates, it's no wonder how Weselton maintained its title as Arendelle's most beneficial trading partner for years. If only the two kingdoms could reconcile their differences; a well designed trade in business would profit both a progressive future. Alas, it seems to be wishful thinking at this point.

The raven-haired queen could spot the curved prow and sails of her own chartered vessel, not more than thirty meters from her location. The sight of the ship made her stomach sink in realization that this pleasant repose is only temporary, and that sooner or later she would return back to Arendelle with her duties as queen to recommence. Elsa was surprised that as much as she was longing to return and see her sister again, she found that the thought of leaving Weselton or, more specifically, the people she'd met here made her feel quite despondent.

Something in her face must've showed for Hiccup began to ask her if she was alright. Startled, Elsa quickly brushed it off with a smile, claiming it to be just a sudden thought that crossed her mind. Not wanting to disrupt their limited time right now.

Together they traversed through the maze of cobblestone buildings, ultimately ending near the lodgings of a local lord. These array of houses were quite different from the one they came before that. Larger, its walls a smoother layer of brick, and the odd guard position steadily at the front entrance, it was no doubt that these were of the upper class.

Elsa was now cautious of where they were going during these walks, having learned from the past meeting with the Duke, and opted to stay near the nobles section of the city for a limited amount. These were familiar grounds, she knew, but in order to keep her distance and avoid another chance meeting she never strayed too long in these parts, unless Hiccup or the others were curious to explore there further.

They exchanged idle conversation every once in a while though for the most part they walked in companionable silence. Arms close to each other but never touching. She couldn't help but observe him whenever he wasn't looking, curiously muttering to himself as he takes note of the odd item or structure that prompts him to ask Elsa for context, a curious glint in his eyes.

She was trying to see the telltale signs of how much his recent tragedy affected him. Elsa can probably guess what the signs were, having gone through a phase similar to that. But so far she has yet to pass by one. Hiccup was open to her as he was to the rest of their group and rambles often for a period of time until he flushes in embarrassment when he realizes that he's said too much. Even when he is silent, he manages to showcase the emotions he was withholding. Expressive in more ways that one.

From the way he speaks, he is obviously a learned man, not unlike a commoner as she initially believed him to be. Yet sometimes he asks the most peculiar of questions. _Hiccup said that he was from the north_ , her mind idly noted, reverting back to their conversation in the carnival. Far up north, if his words were exact. Maybe somewhere past Arendelle? She can't be sure, she doesn't even know why she's thinking of this. Apart from Kristoff and some of her advisers, Hiccup was the longest she's ever held a conversation with a man in recent memory. He was unlike most she'd ever met before and was intrigued to learn more of him.

"Hey Edina," the brunette leaned closer to her and she could feel his breath next to her ear as he whispered. "Do you ever get the feeling that you're being watched?"

Elsa almost froze midstep, but forced herself to keep moving. Her voice casual when she asked, "No, not really. Why do you say that?" She glanced up and catches him purse his lips in thought.

"It's just that—okay, this going to sound really weird but sometimes I feel like someone is watching us. I don't have, er, you know, proof or anything but it sort of just feels like it. I know, I must sound insane right now and it's probably nothing but I just wanted to tell you what I think." Hiccup said, trying to elaborate.

Elsa's brows knitted in a frown as she digested this new information. _It could be just nothing_ , she reasoned, Hiccup does act a bit strange at times so who knows if this is just one of his quirks. But she has this uncomfortable feeling that she shouldn't ignore his words. Could it be that someone was spying on her? That meant her disguise was now compromised and that she is basically out in the open, unarmed and vulnerable. Her heart began to beat rapidly at thought of being ambushed and taken out by soldiers hidden around her.

Feigning a nonchalant shrug she tried to keep her voice steady, fighting down the panic that was slowly rising within her. "You seem to know a lot about the touch and go on the subject, Hiccup." she remarked, hoping to distract him so she could assess her surroundings more efficiently to scan for intruders.

Hiccup laughed nervously, scratching his beard. "Well, I was sort of a traveler back when I was younger. It usually involved exploring different places with my friends and such so we usually had to camp out whenever we needed shelter. I guess time out in the wilderness has made me a bit jumpy."

 _Not always_ , she thought, noting that he never acted like this before so it means that something must really be bothering him now. Elsa decided that she won't dismiss his unintended insight but then brightened that he mentioned a bit of his past, despite the circumstances of the statement. She was finally getting him to open up!

"A traveler you say?" Elsa cocked her head to the side. "You must have some really interesting stories from all the places you've visited."

Hiccup shrugged modestly. "Oh, I wouldn't call them that. Sure there's the occasional scuffle with a wild boar and treasure hunting and meeting lots of different people. The twins do get themselves in trouble a lot but all in all I wouldn't call it _too_ exciting."

"The twins? Your friends, I'm guessing."

"Oh yeah," he nodded meaningfully. "Don't even get me started on those two. I swear they're even harder to control than yaks in a heatwave!"

Hiccup then follows through with a meticulous explanation about his group friends, counting them with vivid descriptions. His body stance showing off feelings expressed in what words could not while his voice took on a pitched tone, one of fondness with hints of exasperation. Elsa smiled softly at his antics, commenting and clarifying at subsequent parts as he named off some experiences he's had with them and sharing a laugh at a particular joke.

"At one point, Fishlegs," she still couldn't come into terms that that is an actual name, "and my cousin started to try and gain Ruff's affections and boy was that a sight to see! I don't think I've ever seen those two fight for something so passionately before." Shaking his head, he continued. "And Astrid..."

Elsa, who was not looking at him at the time, eyes wandering around the surrounding buildings for anything suspicious, heard the sharp intake of breath and the change of inflection in his voice. She turned her head towards him and saw that he faltered, green eyes losing bits of its brightness, mouth drawn into a firm line, the atmosphere discharged of discomfort and melancholy.

His eyes wouldn't meet hers as he murmured, "She... She is—was a good person. A great friend. Fiercely loyal to those who have her trust. One that shouldn't have gone on to save..." His voice shook as he squeezed his eyes shut, taking in a deep breath. After a while he opened them again and cleared his throat, opting to change the subject. "You know there was this one time that my dad, stubborn as he is, would try and make me—"

But Elsa wasn't listening. No, this was her chance to try and get her new friend to speak up these carefully buried thoughts and not let himself succumb to the pit of grief and regret that once consumed her when she was at her most vulnerable. She has a sneaking suspicion; whoever this 'Astrid' person was, she has a large effect in Hiccup's change in attitude.

Deciding to take the straightforward approach, Elsa walked a bit further and stopped in front of Hiccup, turning to look at him in the eye and causing him to pause as well.

"Hiccup," she started gently. "What happened to Nora's mother?"

Hiccup felt as if he had been stung by a Speed Stinger. Caught off guard, his only suitable response was a stammering, "W-What?"

The look on her face was apologetic, but when she spoke again her voice was firm. "I realized that I've never really seen her mother in all the time we've spent here. Also, when you mentioned your friend, Astrid," her voice was softer now, "you looked as if you've lost something irreplaceable. That you feel like you don't deserve being here while she's not around anymore."

She hesitates before saying, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hiccup was dumbfounded. Was he that easy to read? If he was honest with himself he didn't think much about Astrid during the entirety of this trip, his thoughts focused elsewhere regarding their transport, safety, and the overall time spent in Weselton. Now the guilt is starting creep back in, haunting him for forgetting her in exchange for his self-enjoyment.

And Edina, he was surprised that she was able to figure all this out albeit not fully knowing the events that transpired. Despite the current situation, Hiccup had to commend her observation skills. He surmised that they were still assessing each other ever since that meeting by the inn, he knew he was. She was an interesting person, and a pleasant one to hold conversation with. But enough to talk about Astrid?

Hiccup clenches his fists and looks down, avoiding her gaze. He's not sure if he's ready, Hel he hasn't even come to terms with it quite yet, even more so to speak about it with a person who he doesn't know what to think of. It's still too... raw for him. Like a wound that is still in the process of healing, despite being stitched up and bandaged. Sensitive to the touch and can easily be reopened again if not left alone to mend. As much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't.

"Edina," he started, "She-I... I'm not sure if I'm ready to talk about her." His voice was quiet and restrained. "Please, can we... can we not talk about this right now?"

"Listen, Hiccup, I... I can somewhat understand what you're feeling," Elsa says, trying to sympathize. "Maybe if we could—"

" _No_ ," his voice sharper than he intended it to be. "I—" he stops himself and takes a deep breath, steadying his emotions. He rarely speaks up in a stern tone, not even when he barks out orders to his fellow Vikings when command was needed. "Please, let's... let's just go."

Elsa stayed silent afterwards, keeping up with his strides as they continued their path across the city, a stony silence emanating between them. From a viewer's standpoint it looked like they just finished an argument and are refusing to interact with each other out of stubbornness.

She repeatedly told herself that his reaction was to be expected. It was only natural to feel defensive at a topic such as that, with the outcome going either way. Yet she couldn't restrain the pang of hurt that shot through her veins when he rejected her help. Unknowingly, the air around them began to cool down, causing several people near them to repress a shiver at the sudden drop of temperature. This went unnoticed by the two as they walked past by, oblivious to the breeze.

After a while, the tense, rigid shoulders of Hiccup shifted and finally slumped. Elsa heard him let out a sigh beside her and chanced a look towards him. He was running a hand through his messy brown hair, eyes looking older past his age.

"I'm sorry."

They both said it in unison that they were momentarily startled, turning away from each other. Finally, Hiccup gave out a chuckle, feeling awkward.

"You go first."

Her lips curled up a bit, the gesture looking oddly familiar.

"No, you go first. I _insist_ ," she emphasized the word with an arched brow when he opened his mouth to protest.

Hiccup paused, giving her an appraising glance. Is it her imagination or was that a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips? Before she could further decide, he sighed again.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said. It's... just too personal for me," he began, fidgeting slightly with his hands. Looking back, a sudden wave of guilt washes over him for his reaction at her attempt of aid. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. It was my—"

"I'm going to have stop you there, Hiccup." Elsa interrupted, feeling the need discern who actually was responsible for this whole mess.

"Oh? This coming from the one who _insisted_ that I go first?" Hiccup raised a brow.

"What? No, no, I apologize. I—" This time it was her turn to look baffled as she took in the mischievous glint in his eyes before he turned around to stifle a snicker.

Was he teasing her? Elsa narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why, of course. It is improper to make fun of a lady you know," she says, placing both hands on her hips.

"A lady?" Hiccup made a show of giving her a once-over. "Well, if that's true then you're unlike any lady I've ever seen. Especially with that hair."

"You don't like my hair?"

"On the contrary, I think it looks different from any that I've ever seen before. And it suits you."

"Was that supposed to be your attempt at a compliment?"

"If you wish to see it that way, then yes."

They were now neck and neck to each other, faces almost touching. Elsa had to look up for she was slightly shorter than Hiccup by an inch, but she stands tall and proud in front of him. One whose azure gaze was narrowed and challenging, and the other whose eyes were of wide-eyed innocence, yet a smirk prancing around.

Finally, it was Elsa who averts her gaze, deciding to give this round of mind play as his victory. "You're incorrigible," she grumbled, mostly to herself.

Hiccup resisted the urge to snort. "This coming from someone who had to trick me so as to relieve a room full of tension?"

If she had the slightest bit of remorse for that particular bout, she didn't show it. Instead, Elsa shrugged carelessly. "Well, it worked did it not?"

Hiccup considered it, then gave a mock-defeated nod as response. "Yes, I can't say it wasn't effective."

They held each others gaze for a while longer before the laughing started. It was Hiccup this time who initiated it, starting out as a snort then bursting out to laughter. Elsa followed suit shortly afterwards, on the same verge though hers was more constrained with a hand covering her mouth from giggling too much.

Nearby passersby looked confused at the two for suddenly laughing in the middle of the street, thinking they'd gone mad. Among them was an elderly couple who was also present during their same tirade at the inn. Glancing at one another before shaking their head, the older man mouthed 'young love' with his wife slapping his arm as they continued their way.

Back to the two, it seems as if they were finally gaining some semblance in recovering themselves, though panting heavily. Wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, Hiccup tried to even his breathing by placing a hand on his chest while he took in her current state of appearance.

Her raven black hair was peaked up in accordance with her heaving body despite its short length. Skin slightly sweating from the heavy-heated atmosphere, the afternoon rays brought color to her normally pale skin. Swift hands were straightening the fabric of her violet dress, smoothing wrinkled spots among the attire. Her lips were opened slightly as she steadied her breathing, eyes far brighter than their usual calm and reserved state. Hiccup couldn't help but stare.

"So, if I still haven't made myself clear. It was my fault for asking that question in the first place and I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable through my meddling." Elsa regained herself enough to resume back to their original discussion. "It wasn't in my place to ask and I'm sorry for doing so."

Shaking off his dazed expression, Hiccup responded kindly. "Yeah, well, it was partially my fault too. I shouldn't have taken it on you," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head as he usually does when he feels embarrassed at something he was responsible for.

"I feel like I deserve it," Elsa muttered, face down and looking slightly ashamed for once. "I guess my curiosity got in the way of my better judgment." She decided not to mention Nora's part in this and opted to take the blame herself. After all, the little girl was just looking out for her father.

Hiccup looked away, contemplating as his gaze landed on two laughing children, a blonde girl and brown-haired boy, chasing each other around a tree. "Maybe, soon, if I'm comfortable with it. If I ever get the chance to overcome it myself, you'll be the first to know," he whispered, mostly to himself.

He was surprised when she responded with a smile. "I think I'd like that."


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone, I'm still alive!**

 **I'm so sorry this chapter took so long to get uploaded. I can only attribute my laziness, stress and schoolwork as my excuse for taking this long in writing this chapter. But enough of that, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please leave a review or comments on your way out! Forgive me if my writing is a bit rusty. This is the longest one I've wrote so far and I hope this makes up for it.**

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In the midst of their heartened conversation the two seemed to forget on setting a destination and instead ended up lingering around the nobility's estates with no particular path in mind.

Unfortunately, their current footing was unconsciously leading them straight towards the residence of Weselton's highest official.

Geographically constructed within the center of the city, the castle retained shapely chucks of land just outside of its gray stone walls and is surrounded by a deeply-filled moat. Five massive towers overlook each side of the corners they were placed on, the largest of which situated northwest of the main gates. The portcullis was raised, allowing entry into the castle grounds. Guards stood at each side of the gate, spears to their side as they surveyed the daily incursion of people trudging over the wooden drawbridge, creaking and groaning under the weight of wheeled carts and heavy footsteps.

Just beyond the tiled floors of the footbridge stood a bald man, hands tucked beneath the sleeves of his expensive robes as he spoke quietly with a dirty-faced boy dressed in ragged clothing. Slowly, his gaze turned to regard the incoming pair without breaking the calm cadence of conversation.

Hiccup, who was looking over the castle to marvel its enormity, paused when his eyes locked with those of the fancy swathed man. Their eyes briefly meeting before the bald man broke it off. Instead switching his unreadable gaze to the dark-haired lady beside him.

For a moment, Hiccup was perplexed. Who was this guy and why does he look vaguely familiar? He racked his brain into remembering any recent interactions he's had with the nobles of this city and tried to match it with the man standing not twenty feet before him. Not that he encountered many, considering his current choice of attire looked rather plain to be singled out compared to their constricting clothing mix of lavish jewelry and colors. He mostly observed them from afar, absently comparing them to the closest one he's ever had a pleasant opinion of meeting with. And she's not even from this kingdom.

Digging a bit deeper, his thoughts carefully threaded back to his second, rather unpremeditated run-in with Edina.

He remembered that bleary morning quite vividly. Eret was knocked out, to say the least, after challenging a fellow drinker to a contest on who can last longer with a considerable amount of alcohol in their system the night before. Emboldened, they demanded the bartender to bring out his strongest drink, the gesture cementing the responded duel. It seems that Berk's deep gallons of Viking mead is no match against this foreign drink, for not more than six tankards later did Hiccup find the ex-dragon trapper snoring beneath his own stool, the other man looking no better than he did.

With a shake of his head he dragged Eret back to his room that night and dropped face first onto his own bed, the abrupt entry stirring Nora in her sleep. Much to his chagrin, sleep has decided to deprive him of that comfort as well. Waking way too early to be even considered as reasonable. And without Toothless to help compensate that early morning wake-up call with a blissful flight, he reluctantly got out of bed and decided to have a stroll around the city.

Hiccup found that walking around the city with its streets still rather empty and the sun a glowing sphere midway through its rise to be one of the most relaxing things he's come to experience next to flying. There was a certain appeal in surveying the towering buildings and elevating hills alone, the display looking more like art rather than homely-built structures.

Hiccup was so wrapped up in his musings that he nearly lost track of time during his walk around the wakening city. By the time he looked up, the sun was shining like dragon fire amidst the sea of blue skies and cotton clouds. Strolling back to his lodgings, he wonders if he should write this down in his journal. Mentally adding the thought to the growing list of things that he doesn't do as frequently as he did in the past.

As he rounded the corner of a cobbled street, his sight met him with a steady wall of uniformly dressed men wearing dark coats over their red clothing. The hilt of a sword could be seen attached to their belts while several of them held spears. Among them was an old man that disturbingly reminded him of Mildew, except with finer clothing, cleaner taste in hygiene, and a strange glass disk lodged in front of one of his eyes.

He and the guards were glancing uncertainly at three people who appear to be holding a quiet exchange. The tall one in the red garb looked to be another of cleaner Mildew's retinue while the person he was gripping on Hiccup recognized as the woman who helped his daughter the other day. She had a slightly panicked look on her face before slowly morphing into one of determination.

Hiccup knew that expression all too well. His experience with wild dragons has taught him enough to recognize the signs of being cornered, yet refusing to give in. Such situations generally end with more trouble being caused and someone getting hurt in the process. He had no doubt on how this situation would play out.

Looking back, he realized that he didn't fully regard the third person on the scene, his focus on Edina first and foremost in his mind at the time. The most distinguishable feature Hiccup could remember was the man's bald sense of coiffure. Which the person in front of him shared the similarity. Also, both seem to have the same dark eyes that are quick to study when something has caught their interest. Eyes that are currently latched on to Edina.

Nevertheless, Hiccup felt a hint of worry crease his brow as the man continued to stare at Edina, who was oblivious to the scrutiny. An odd, protective urge seemed to leap from his chest, clawing his mind to agree that he didn't like the way the man was looking at her like that. Abruptly, Hiccup placed a hand on her shoulder, earning himself a questioning glance.

Unable to think of a proper response, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "So, uh, when are you heading back to Arendelle?"

Edina immediately stiffened. Realizing what he'd just said, Hiccup hurriedly added, "Not that I don't enjoy your company, of course! It's been great actually. It's just that, ah, you seem like an important person and based from what I know they usually tend to be busy and all. And it got me all wondering, you know, when you'll... leave?" he ended awkwardly, inwardly cringing at what he must have sounded like.

There was a moment of tense silence before Edina sighed and gave him a small smile. "If I didn't know any better it sounds as if you're trying to get rid of me," she teased.

" _No_! Erm, far from it actually." Hiccup cleared his throat loudly and looked away, face heating up.

Edina looked surprised but thankfully she let it slide. "In any case, you are correct. I am due to leave in two days. Stay any longer and my council would probably dispatch an envoy to fetch me personally." She released an aggravated sigh.

"Tell me about it," he muttered, thoughts ranging back to Berk's own small council and how annoyingly persistent they can be when opportunity calls for it.

Ignoring the odd glance she gave him, he tried to look on the bright side. "Well, at least you'll get to see your sister again, right?" Edina only ever mentioned her once or twice during the entirety of their conversations and never by name, but Hiccup noticed the way her bright eyes would soften, how her voice carried lighthearted affection as she recounted her sister's antics involving tapestry. Clearly she cares deeply for her sibling.

He couldn't relate, at least not fully since he never had a sibling of his own. The closest he's had is Snotlout and he found it hard to picture a scenario of himself sharing the same situations as Edina and her sister had with his cousin due to the manner of how they were raised. So instead he tried to compare it to his bond with Toothless. Despite the wonderful time he's had here Hiccup sorely missed his dragon and wished that he was there with him. The Night Fury would certainly be helpful in his situation right now.

Even from a fair distance away Hiccup could feel the man's gaze staring holes at the back of his head. For a moment he considered turning around to straight up ask him what his problem was, but then brushed it off. He was pretty sure that such a simple question could be seen as an act of provocation and might possibly land him a one way trip down the castle dungeons. While the curious side of him would have loved to examine the inner workings of a grand castle such as this, the logical side sarcastically noted that he would more likely find himself observing the place behind the confines of a cell.

"Yes," she said, the corners of her lips quirking up. "I do miss her very much. I can only imagine how she's handling the household affairs back home while I'm gone. She can be quite the handful at times so I can't say that I'm not a little worried.

"But it's not just that," she continued on, smoothing her fingers across the fabric of her dress. "During my stay here I didn't expect to actually enjoy the country where my own has strained relationships with, nor did I envision meeting a little girl and her father here to make the process of returning home slightly more difficult than I first considered it to be."

She was looking at him now, the sunlight making the icy blue flecks around her pupil flicker as if they were glowing. Her cheeks were flushed, probably due to the oppressive heat of the day. This brought his attention towards the light dust of freckles across her cheeks which he failed to notice before. Her eyes were filled with an emotion that he couldn't discern.

They stared at each for a moment before the words registered in his mind. Unexpected warmth flooded his chest though he couldn't explain as to why. In truth, he tried not to think too much of Edina's inevitable departure for he had come to enjoy the companionship and presence she provided this past week.

He tried to brush it off as nothing of concern, that she's just one of those people he draws himself into when traveling into different villages, never seeing them again once he's moved on to another area. But he knows that he simply can't do that. People have told him before that he is far too compassionate for his own good, and maybe they're right. He has never been someone who treats other people as objects of usage or pawns, not even his subordinates. Edina was no exception.

Besides, if his recent exclamation of his own thoughts were to be examined he would be a hypocrite to deny that he feels the same way as she did. Not that he would say that out loud of course.

"Only slightly?" he joked in false bravado, trying to bury these unbidden thoughts in exchange for humor. "Damn, and here I thought I could actually convince you to stay here using my clearly superior persuasion skills and proceed with the next phase of my devious plan."

Edina nearly rolled her eyes at his display, but she played along. "Superior is not the proper word I would use to describe it. Probably decent at best. Do pray tell what this next step of your master plan is?"

"Why to lure you in with pastries and my cheerful personality of course! Then, when you least suspect it I will drag you with me to the most boring... uh... opera house I can find here and force you to attend until you beg me to release you and agree to give what I desire."

"An ingenious plan indeed," she responded dryly. "But you must best know that I do _not_ beg nor will I give in so easily to your interrogations, good sir. Surely, there must be some common ground we can agree on so as to avoid this tedious manner of getting what you want? Feel free to speak then."

"What _I want_ is for you to relax and think nothing of your leave for now and enjoy the remaining two days you have here with us," he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. Lowering his eyes to meet hers to show that he was being serious. "Don't overthink it. Just let it happen and be yourself, not some highborn lady with duties back home."

Edina said nothing at first before giving a slow, hesitant nod. "Alright, I suppose I can do that." She studied him closely, before adding, "You have a strange way with words, Hiccup. Most might say you're a bad influence for people like me, but I like to think that there is some clarity to your words."

Hiccup shrugged at her. "I've been told that I can be _very_ persuasive at times. Now," he clapped and eagerly rubbed his hands together. "let's see if we can make up for lost time. So where do you wanna go first? You call the shots and I'll be there to follow, no questions asked."

Edina wanted to protest that he didn't have to do that but then relented knowing that Hiccup is stubborn enough to not back down from his word. A gentle smile adorned her face at the thought.

"Well, for a start we can go look for Cassandra and the others first then let's see where we go from there. Seeing as you are so adamant in making sure that I make the most of my time here, I don't suppose you mind covering the expenses for my remaining stay?" She smirked evilly, taking quiet pleasure at how much his face paled at the implication.

She laughed and Hiccup had the grace to grin ruefully before joining her. He smiled inwardly, glad that things were going well between them.

Behind them, a similar expression slithered over the bald man's face as he watched the pair disappear behind a corner of the following street. _A wise decision made. Or a foolish one, depending on how one sees it._

"Lord Varen?"

The Weselton noble swiveled his head towards the voice of an approaching guard, whose uniform mark him the rank of captain. He saluted once in greeting. The boy was long gone, disappearing into the crowd after delivering his report to the peculiar lord.

"There is a trader by the docks who wishes to see you, milord. Says he came from the west and has something to discuss with you."

Varen smiled at him. "Excellent. Tell him I'll be there shortly."

 **000**

The following evening found themselves surrounded by chattering and boisterous people in the second floor of a well-established restaurant. The owner of the said establishment had decided to throw in a party since the place was lacking in customers this past week thanks to the arrival of the festivities. With most of the people in the immediate vicinity flocking the town square like moths to a flame, he invited several of his friends and old acquaintances available for a quiet night of merriment and laughter.

Apparently, the carpenter who helped fix the wooden boards of the restaurant knew a co-worker whose friends with the local harbourmaster who recommended the carpenter's services into fixing Eret's damaged ship after it once escaped a brutal storm. Which in turn allowed him and his companions quick entry into the party.

Hiccup wasn't sure if the invitation extended into bringing 'friends of friends' but he can hardly complain since he was currently digging into the dining specialty: rabbit stew.

He certainly didn't expect it to taste as mouthwatering as it smelled, if not better. The way the fragrant, rich meat melted off the bones as he ate. Spices of different mixture rolled along his tongue, giving the stew a lavish taste. When they brought out freshly baked loaves, he couldn't help himself into breaking pieces off and dipping them in the leftovers.

It has been a while since he felt this filled to the brim that he can barely keep his stomach contained. He groaned and wondered loudly to Eret if all the food here tasted this good. He merely laughed at him. "All good things come with a hefty price, Chief!" He said before drowning in another tankard of wine.

Hiccup was half-tempted into asking the cook for the recipe, despite knowing how tight-lipped they would be since it's a branch favorite. Being a cook himself, and the only able one in the household, he has to up his game.

The brunette stifled a yawn as he realized he had dozed off in a comfy-looking chair by the corner of the room, wakened by the sudden explosion of laughter somewhere to his right. Stretching his arms and legs, he wondered where the others were. He checked the pocket watch he recently procured and was relieved to see that the night was not nearly done as he had thought.

Surveying the room, he tried to think with a clear head. He knew Nora was downstairs with the other children monitored by the owner's wife, so that checked her out for now. After some contemplation he found Eret sitting right next to a couple of bearded men much bigger than him and some women, seemingly engrossed at the ludicrous tale the ex-dragon trapper was telling them about some octopus lady and a pitched fork. He sincerely hoped that those empty tankards by the counter next to him were not all from his drinking.

Edina and Cassandra were not too far from them, the tall woman also sitting in a chair while being surrounded by giggling, gossiping, women. They looked to be enjoying themselves as well.

He felt another urge to yawn and this time he didn't restrain it as he stood up and made to grab some food. The table filled with many plates of colorful food was situated by the wall at the left side of the room, next to it the windows were opened to expel the aroma of different flavors outside.

Arriving at the table, he frowned as he noticed the plates previously serving a variety of meat, fish and steamed vegetables were now filled with soft, golden brown chunks covered in paper-lined cups. He grabbed one and sniffed it experimentally, taking a tentative bite out of the muffin.

 _Eh_ , he thought it tasted like wheat bread mixed with some fruit he couldn't identify. It was also a bit dry, with some hard bits that made it hard to chew at. Though it did leave a savory taste in his mouth.

So there he stood, leaning by the edge of the table and absently chewing on some baked muffin while he gazed out the window. Though he was used to parties, all out ones that were much crazier than this, he preferred to watch from the sidelines. It was easier sitting around his podium raised chair with Astrid to keep him company.

 _Nope_. Nope. Wandering thoughts. He promised himself to relax and keep his thoughts away from home as possible. He would be a hypocrite if he didn't follow his own advice to Edina.

It did made him think though, this was the first time he thought of her or Berk in a long while, excluding Edina's questioning. With what was going on around here and meeting the others, he hadn't even thought of home once. He didn't know whether to feel guilty or not.

Regardless, he supposed his mother was right. He _really_ did need this after all. The stress of his duties as chief and now single-handedly caring for his daughter aside, he never gave himself full time to sink in his thoughts and think about things besides his recent tragedy. Valka may have not been there for most of his life, but he was glad for her guidance and the interactions they had with one another. As well as having a parental figure for him to lean on.

A loud crash behind him followed by nervous chatter broke his thoughts. Turning around, he saw an embarrassed serving maid apologizing profusely to the a man for wetting his shirt with the filled pitcher she was serving. The man, already halfway drunk with the wine he's drank merely laughed and slipped an arm around her waist, dragging the poor, flustered maid with him to introduce her to his friends by the counter.

Hiccup snorted halfheartedly at the display and swung his gaze back to the outside view—only to find himself face-to-face with massive, familiar green eyes.

He let out a rather unmanly yelp which was fortunately ignored by the people within the vicinity.

" _Toothless_!?" exclaimed Hiccup incredulously.

The 'toothless' grin and flopping tongue he received confirmed his suspicions.

"W-What are you doing here? Wait, were you spotted? Toothless, you know these people have never seen a dragon before! What if they panicked? We could end up in big trouble," Hiccup whispered furiously, realizing that his loud display might attract unwanted attention.

Toothless tilted his head at him curiously, wondering what the big deal was. A large amount of the humans were congregated in the central area with the many lights so it's not as if many would even care to notice him. Being detected by oblivious humans under the cover of nightfall would be a _huge_ blow to his pride and reputation as a Night Fury. Terrors everywhere would be sure to mock at him if word of that ever happened!

Shutting out his rider's rambling, the dragon's attention soon focused on the object clutched in his left hand. His stomach rumbled, he hadn't had anything all day, with having to expend time into dodging nosy humans and sharing his meals with a grumpy Rumblehorn. His mouth watered and his pupils dilated into round orbs as he locked gazes with the pastry.

"Look, I miss you too, bud, and I know we've been here far longer than expected but you could least give me some warning when you're about to show up. I mean, you nearly gave me a heart at—" Hiccup blinked, his speech suddenly cutting off as something warm and slimy covered his hand hanging out the window. His gaze drifted down to see Toothless' mouth covering his entire hand, soft gums and forked tongue slipping through his fingers and latching on the muffin. Pulling back with a pop, he swallowed with a loud gulp and slurped his snout. The dragon stared at him expectantly.

"Well, it's always a good thing to know what your first priorities are, bud," he said sarcastically, giving a look of disgust at his slime-covered hand before wiping it with the tablecloth. "Why don't we take this conversation somewhere private? I'll see you outside on the balcony. Try to make as little noise as possible." He said before heading off towards the double wooden doors leading to the balcony, missing Toothless' eye roll before the dragon hefted himself towards the roof and slithered through the tiles.

Opening the doors as quietly as he could, he managed to slip through and made it four steps across before being bowled over by an excited Night Fury.

"Gah!" Toothless smothered him with long, drooling licks until he was satisfied his human has had enough. He then nudged the brunette with his nose, giving a content purr.

Despite his initial annoyance and anxiety, Hiccup couldn't help but release a loud chuckle at Toothless' more than cheerful greeting. Patting his scaly head, he sat up and pressed his forehead against his, murmuring, "You're a sight for sore eyes, bud. I wish you'd been here with me for past week, really could've used your help on a few occasions." Toothless began to growl. "No, _no_ , mister, no one needs to get torched up their as—well, okay, there might be a _few_ that needed a smack on their ego but that's besides the point."

Toothless huffed, obviously not agreeing with that notion. Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, you think what you like, Mr. _Bossy_. Anyway, this place is amazing. The sights, the people, just everything is so unlike Berk. Unlike anywhere we've been before. The first couple of days were a bit rocky but then we met these people who helped made our stay a lot more pleasant than we expected it to be. In fact, I wish I could introduce you to her, she's a good friend. Smart and clever too. She's a bit unnerving at times but that's just part of her charm, I guess. I'm sure you'd like her." The dragon looked skeptical. He has never been one for first impressions, preferring to be straightforward about it. Identify whether the unknown intruder is dangerous or not and deciding whether to blast or frighten the poor soul if it was indeed a threat.

"I know that look, and _no_ , Toothless, you are not simply blasting her just because you don't like her. Look at the last time that happened, Berk almost got dragged into another war with the Berserkers just because you didn't like Nóttilla at first glance, and she turned out fine!" Toothless made a noise that suspiciously sounded like a whine. "Yeah, well, let's forget about that. It's not like you two would ever get the chance of meeting each other anyway, she would probably be terrified. That said, she sometimes reminds me of—"

The door creaked.

The two froze, like deer caught in headlights.

Hiccup turned his head towards the door then back to Toothless and hissed, "Quickly, _go_!"

With a speed that matched his own namesake, Toothless bolted over the edge of the balcony while Hiccup scrambled up to straighten his clothes before turning to lean on the rail, feigning a casualness that he definitely wasn't feeling at the moment.

"Hiccup?" The door opened a bit, enough to reveal the inquisitive yet concerned face of Edina. "Am I interrupting something?"

"N-No, of course not!" he said unconvincingly. Clearly she thought of that as well by the look on her face. "Just getting some fresh air, you know. It can get pretty crowded in there."

"I see." She stepped through the door, revealing the dark blue dress she wore for the evening. She made her way towards him and followed his gesture of leaning over the rail. "I noticed you stepped out of the room. Is something wrong?"

Hiccup considered his next words. He has lied on several occasions, but was never keen on directtly lying. He's more or less preferred to skirt around the truth. And judging by the look Edina is giving him, she's not going to be dissuaded so easily.

"I'm just thinking about home I guess." Which was partially true, it had been on his thought moments before Toothless interrupted him. The dragon's reappearance only solidified what he had suspected, that he was feeling homesick.

Her eyes softened, full of understanding. "I can relate," she said before facing the view on the balcony.

There was a lengthened silence between them before she continued, "I tried following your advice." He looked at her, a bit confused. "Distracting myself. Focus on what's happening now rather than what happens next. It worked, for a while. Gave me some comfort and reprieve while I gathered my thoughts. In the end, Arendelle still inhabits the forefront of my mind. Not as a reminder of duty, no, but more of the place where I can read books and relax by the fireplace. Where my sister would call me out at some random point in time to show me something that would make me smile. It made me remember all the people and things that I've been through. It reminded me of the place I called home." She said simply.

"I guess even the most well-thought-out plans can be disrupted by the tiniest of details," he agreed. "I've been having some sort of recollection as well. Can't leave all that behind when you have something to go back to. Home can be found anywhere though. It depends on where you're comfortable with or the type people you'd have with you on that particular path. It defines you as much as you determine where it is."

They stopped at that, staring over the edge as the moon floated high above the horizon. A gentle breeze filled the late evening air, billowing a cool atmosphere throughout the town which marked in contrast to the humid upbringing during the day. The restaurant building was built along the side of a residing hill, providing a limited but entrancing view of the city.

Toothless spied the two from an adjacent roof above them, eyeing the woman carefully. He's uncertain on what to feel, certainly not enough to warrant a plasma blast off the side of the building. But he doesn't fully trust her either. There's this strange aura that he can sense encompassing her, nothing that can be seen or smelled, but there nonetheless, made known to him by instinct that kept him alive all these years.

Since Hiccup told him not to interfere, and as far as he can tell the woman doesn't seem to have any bad intentions towards his rider, he supposes he could lay them off for tonight. In fact, there looks to be some familiarity between them that makes him believe that he can leave them alone without any fear of assault. Besides, recent events has forced him to modify flight plans for tonight. Now assured that his rider is safe, there are far more pressing issues he must resolve...

"Are you familiar with constellations?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Hiccup was taken aback by the abrupt change in topic, and he may or may not have been distracted by how her dark hair coincides with the midnight chill of the evening sky. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Did you say 'consternation'?"

"Constellations," she corrected. "It's when a group of stars form a specific pattern and is given a name after some mythological being they were based on."

"Oh. I've heard of the term but I'm not well informed in that aspect."

"I see. Would you like me to point them out for you?" At his nod, she pursed her lips and turned her attention to the sky. "My memory is a bit sketchy so forgive me if I seem to take too long. I read them once in book somewhere but never got chance to personally see it in person before."

While she kept looking, Hiccup's attention was drawn to the curve of her neck as it stretched when Edina tilted her head to peer at a particular formation in the sky before mumbling to herself. Eyes moving up—he gulped as he tried _not_ to focus too much on her pouting lips—he noticed a slight red tint spread across her cheeks that was previously hidden by the underlying shadow of the night.

"Hey Edina," he called out slowly, receiving a hum in reply. "you're not _drunk_ , are you?"

Her expression quickly changed from quiet contemplation into an irritated scowl directed at him. "Not you too," she exhaled exasperatedly. "I've been getting the same treatment from Cassandra all night. There's no need to point out that I've consumed a considerable amount of wine. I am not drunk, only _slightly_ inebriated."

Hiccup raised his hands up in a placating gesture. "Alright then. No comments here. Mouth promptly shut." He made a gesture with his forefinger and thumb, zipping it from one end of his mouth to the other.

Edina gave a sigh of thanks, completely missing the sarcastic undertone of his actions.

"Up there." She pointed at the sky with her finger. "See those four stars? Try to imagine a line between the spaces and interconnect it. Those form the handle. Below the two stars with widest space are two more stars, imagine lines between those spaces and you can see it forms a box. Together they form a constellation called the _Hellewagen_."

Hiccup squinted at it critically, trying to visualize the starry spectacle in his mind's eye. "It looks like an oversized frying pan if you ask me."

Sweet, melodic laughter burst from her lips which echoed through the air in the absence of other significant noise. "It does seem like one, doesn't it? I never thought of it that way before."

Now that he thought about it, he vaguely remembered Gobber mentioning to him that Viking sailors use the stars in the sky for navigation purposes when maps are unreliable. He certainly couldn't see it. How could stars be used to provide a path for the destination planned? He wondered if the sailors themselves used to give names for star formations like the _Hellewagen_ to pass the time at sea.

"What's next?" he asked eagerly, clearly intrigued by the subject matter.

She pointed to another set of stars further southwest from the _Hellewagen_. "That's _Dain_ , one of the deer constellations. You can see how those two stars there make up the back leg, and another pair for the front leg and trunk. One star marks the neck while the bright one is its eye. Those four form the antlers. It's been a subject of discussion whether or not it was named after a dwarf or elf in the mythology."

The conversation went on for the rest of the night. With Hiccup pointing out different stars while Edina provided verbatim commentary. It was surprising how he discovered some of the names chosen for the constellations came from creatures and gods from Norse belief. He didn't think many outside the Archipelago knew of their history.

They arrived to a slight disagreement when they came upon the dragon constellation, _Nídhögg_.

"But that's not a dragon," Hiccup argued after Edina pointed out the famed serpent who resided to gnawing the roots underneath the World Tree. "It has a different body structure compared to one and it doesn't even have wings— _or legs!_ "

"It's just a name used to symbolize the constellation, Hiccup," giggled Edina. "It's not meant to be taken literally."

"Yeah, but still," he looked slightly miffed, though he wasn't sure why. "It doesn't make sense to name it after a fearsome creature especially when it doesn't even look like it."

"You act as if you've seen an actual one before." She looked amused.

Hiccup grinned at her. "What if I have?"

"Then that can only mean two things," she declared, holding up two fingers. "One, I am now way above my own alcohol level and am hallucinating these beings as figments of my imagination. Or two, to simply put it, they are real. I am more inclined to go through with the former rather than the latter for obvious reasons." They both laughed at that.

After some time they came to a standstill, breathing heavily after the constant talking made their throats parched and the weariness of the day seeping into their skin. Edina's eyelids begin to droop, the wine she consumed earlier and the feeling of something warm next to her affecting her stance. Stifling a yawn, she surrendered to her uneven thoughts, leaning to this warm presence beside her.

Hiccup nearly jumped out of his own prosthetic when he felt a slight weight lean against the right side of his body. Turning his head, he was met with a head of spiky black hair and closed eyes as she laid her head on his shoulder. He blinked, surprised. Edina was normally sensitive in letting others touch her, and he almost woke her up before he caught sight of the contented expression on her face which made him pause.

He smiled at the way her eyebrows would furrow, causing the dark strands to scrunch up near her forehead. The worry lines he frequently saw on her face disappeared from her features, replaced by smooth skin he was tempted to run his fingers over. _She really looks cute when she doesn't even try to._ Hiccup sighed regretfully, his thoughts and intentions of going back inside for a drink had come to a screeching halt.

Instead he scooted a bit, allowing her to lean her body more comfortably on him. She hummed in approval, snuggling up to Hiccup's side and not letting go anytime soon.

There they stood under the baleful glow of the moonlight, Hiccup watching the proceedings below as tired people returned to their homes after a fruitful night at the carnival, with Edina resting beside him and Toothless hanging over the slanted roof, stealing every bite of muffin left on the table provided by the open window.

 **000**

The _Spritedancer_ was at first glance an unassuming merchant sea vessel. Plain as it appeared to be, it was built with the sole intention of delivering trade goods as swift and efficient as possible. The schooner was also equipped with several cannons along the deck as a defense mechanism. Though it was unsophisticated compared it its heavily-built cousins, Hiccup stared at as if it were a Man o' War.

He took note of the taller masts and rope shrouds leading towards the small platform at the top of the ship. It was an ingenious approach to look out for any incoming ships or land. The ship's wheel was a lot more accessible than their log shaped tiller. Vikings in general don't rely on projectile weapons on their ships, preferring to row towards the enemy range and bash them with a battleaxe. But Hiccup could see the advantages of such heavy support fire. The double masts could also provide a significant amount of wind for the sails if implemented properly.

Shaken off from his dazed stupor by someone bumping into him, he realized he looked out of place as the only one in the pier who was gaping at the floating vessel. He hurried off to Edina's ship.

Luckily, or unluckily, he just made it in time to witness Cassandra's teary goodbye to Eret. The poor man was being hugged to the point of constriction by the petite redhead, though he patted her back all the same while whispering something to her that made her grip tighten. He noticed Hiccup as he walked past and gave the Chief a weak thumbs up. Hiccup snickered to himself. _Looks like Ruff is going to have competition_.

He spotted Edina crouching in front Nora at the end of the pier. The outfit she wore was modest—a lavender dress with short sleeves and a deep purple bodice. She wore a green shawl around her shoulders, though he could only imagine why since the heat of the day was scorching. They were talking but he could not catch the words over the noise coming from other ships and bystanders. They were giggling at something before Nora wrapped her arms around her neck in a hug. Edina looked surprised but returned the hug as well. The blonde turned her head a bit and whispered something in her ear that made Edina blush and glare back at the innocent looking girl as she pulled back.

Edina gave a long-suffering sigh, muttering something under her breath before leaning in to kiss her slightly messy hair. Nora gave one last farewell before turning around and running straight to Hiccup.

"Hey dad!" She greeted brightly.

"Morning Nora." He tousled her already unruly hair, earning him a giggle. "Have you said your goodbyes to Edina?"

"Yup! She was really nice about it. I'm going to miss her though. Will we ever see her again?" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"It's hard to say, kiddo," he said to her, guilt running through him at how downcast her face turned. "She lives really far from us. Only the gods can tell when and where our paths would cross again."

"Oh," she muttered, eyes down before brightening up again. "But we can try and visit her, right?"

Hiccup wasn't sure if that was a good idea but not wanting to make his daughter sad again he gave her a conspiratorial smile instead. "We'll see."

Nora hugged him once more before heading towards Cassandra, leaving Hiccup to slowly walk up to Edina who was facing the sea.

"You know, I've never really been fond of goodbyes," she spoke as he stood next to her. "They always seem so... _permanent_. As if it's the last thing someone feels the urge to say before leaving them for good."

"Those _are_ the usual cases when someone says goodbye." Hiccup commented, scratching his beard.

Edina turned her head sideways, slightly glancing at him. "Maybe, but not all of them. Especially when the person is not quite finished in saying hello yet."

"Is that so?" He turned to look at her, eyes locking. He was beginning to get used to the companionable silence that started to become natural between them. But as far as he can tell that was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment.

She looked uncomfortable, her hands folded in front of her which he noticed were covered with white gloves. Strange, he never once saw her wear them in the span she had been in Weselton.

"Hiccup, I must apologize for my... behavior last night, if it made you uncomfortable. I should have listened to Cassandra's warnings and never indulged myself in that amount of alcohol." She appeared more embarrassed now, averting her eyes from his. "I hope you don't misinterpret my actions as lewd or offensive. I was not in the proper state of mind."

"Well, you did seem sober enough to provide a fascinating introduction to basic astronomy," he added unhelpfully. The look she gave him was not amused.

"It's all right, Edina. It's not as if you're the only one at fault here. I mean, I think would've made known if I wasn't okay with it. Which I was." Hiccup added that last bit to ease her nerves. Truthfully, he also didn't know what to feel about last night. His conscious kept urging him all night to wake her up but he didn't and he felt unusually calm about that. He tried not to put much thought in it.

"Still," she looked uncertain. "It was improper of me to do but I guess we can put those distractions aside for now. I'm sure I don't want your final memory of me to be this blubbering mess in front you." She gave him a wan smile.

"Yeah, and I don't want yours of me to be a poor remembrance of all this." He gestured to himself.

Edina raised an eyebrow. "You just pointed to all of you."

"Exactly." He agreed. He was dressed in his green tunic combined with an old bear fur vest, looking every bit as his fifteen-year old self minus the growth spurt. "I look like some brute next to you!"

"Now you're exaggerating. You look fine, if not a bit eccentric. Where did you even get that vest?"

"I've actually been wearing it since I was a teenager. But that's not all of it. I seem to notice someone spoiling Nora rotten these past few days more than what I do in a year," he pointed out accusingly.

"I admit nothing."

Her face was stoic but there was mischievous gleam in her eye when she said the words. "Besides, she's adorable. It would be difficult for any person not to succumb to her wishes. Someone has to set up a standard against the likes of you." She hid a smile at the groan he gave, then became serious. "I wish there was some way we can contact each other again but I fear that these upcoming months will be time consuming enough for me that I may not be granted the same freedom as I once had here without breaking a few more rules. And I simply cannot do that."

Hiccup was silent. He knew he should try and voice out that it wasn't all impossible and that there's always a way, but he didn't. Even he would have a hard time if he actually traveled to Arendelle to visit her. Where would he find her? What if she didn't really want him there because she was embarrassed with others knowing that she herself associated with a Viking like him? No, personal meetings were definitely a cross out of the list. Then that leaves...

"I've got it!" he cried out, startling Edina out of her musings. "Do you have something—I don't know like a personal belonging I could borrow? I promise I'm not going to steal it or anything! It's really crucial in this plan of mine for it to work." He looked really excited, trying to erase the doubts that were forming in his head.

Edina blinks at him once, then twice before raising her hands to the back of her head and unlacing the string holding the blue stone pendant around her neck. She held the necklace in her hand and reached it out to him. "Am I right to assume that you won't be divulging any of what you're planning to me and I just have to sit back and wait for it to play out until it hits me in the face?"

"Of course! Where'd be the fun if I spoil the surprise?" He grinned at her, nearly missing the worried expression on her face. "Don't worry, I promise to keep it as low key as possible."

"I would hope so. I would hate to be responsible for the trouble you put yourself into for something simple as sending a letter." They both got a chuckle out of that.

Edina was then approached by a sailor of the _Spritedancer_ , informing her that the ship was about to set sail.

"Well, I suppose this is it," Edina muttered as the last of her belongings were settled on deck. She turned to Hiccup and for formality's sake she extended her hand. "It was a pleasure getting to know you, Hiccup."

He looked surprised, but a slow grin formed his face. He caught her gloved hand and shook it firmly. "Fair winds and following seas to you, Edina. May your journey back to Arendelle be swift and sheltered." He responded in farewell, quoting the old sailing proverb.

With one last fleeting smile, she stepped back and boarded the _Spritedancer_ just as the captain barked orders at his crew to man the sails and shift starboard. The ship groaned, the wooden ports and planks shuddering after being on land for so long, then settled. The ship was well underway.

Hiccup stood next to his daughter and Eret, waving at the retreating ship as it trudged through the waves at a brisk pace towards the outlying waters of the sea.

"You know, I have the strangest feeling that we'll come across them again." Eret commented, just as the ship disappeared from view.

"Why's that?" Hiccup looked curious. It wasn't a normal occurrence for Eret to give such insight on matters such as this.

"Just a feeling," he dismissed offhandedly. "It's probably nothing. I know how you like to scoff my deep appreciation for guessing as mere coincidences."

"Which they usually are."

"Not always!"

"I hope we get to see them again soon!" piped up Nora.

"Me too," Hiccup muttered. "Come on, let's get something to eat. People are now staring at us for waving at nothing."

Privately, Hiccup also had this inkling that this wasn't the last time he was going to see Edina. An uncomfortable feeling rose within him and he tried to brush it off as it kept harrying that their next encounter will not be so pleasant.

* * *

 **Finally, the next chapter is where the story is starting to come into place. Just bear with me on when my next upload date is. I wonder what plan is Hiccup willing to do in order to contact 'Edina'?**

 **I've actually stumbled into a bit of a personal dilemma—nothing too drastic that will affect the story of course. I don't know if you're familiar with fanfiction writer** thaipothetical, **who is well known for her slightly dark but compelling HTTYD stories** **but during these last few months her account was deactivated, and with it all of her stories.**

 **Now, I'm not saying I know her personally. I messaged her once about her story and that's about it, but her stories were one of my favoritse in this fandom. So I was disappointed to see one day when I searched one of her stories and came up empty-handed. I've already experienced it on unfinished stories before but this is the first time it happened to a story I know was finished. So imagine my surprise when I realized I have two of her stories saved in my iPad months prior and somehow forgotten about it until recently. One of which is complete and the other I'm unsure of because I forgot the total number of chapters when I first read it.**

 **It seems sort of unfair to me that I only get to read these amazing stories while they disappeared off the net. I want to post them again crediting the original author but I'm not sure if that's disrespectful or a violation of her property so I just dismissed the idea. I don't want to look like I'm stealing her work or anything. For those interested to know, the stories saved were _Sacrifices_ and _Firechild_ , and currently I'm not planning anything about it. Though I'd like to hear your thoughts.**

 **Aside from that, like I said, wish me luck in these final two months of my classes before summer starts. I hope I can improve two of my classes as I'm aiming to get grades above average. See you in the next chapter!**


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